A DEPRAVED dad who publicly wrenched the head off a seagull for trying to steal his daughter’s food was sentenced to just eight months in jail.
Franklin Zeigler, 30, became enraged when the bird attempted to pinch a French fry at Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks in New Jersey in July 2024.
Franklin Zeigler, 30, pleaded guilty to decapitating a seagullCredit: Facebook
The New Jersey dad was sentenced to just 263 days in prisonCredit: Cape May Corrections
The poor seagull had tried to pinch a French fry from his daughterCredit: istockphotos
Horrified families and children witnessed the crazed dad decapitate the seagull with his bare hands in front of his daughter.
Zeigler then asked a staff member where the bins were while he held the beheaded bird.
After admitting the brutal killing, he became “irate and uncooperative with officers on an unrelated investigation,” and was arrested for disorderly conduct.
He was indicted on June 24, 2025 on charges that he “cruelly abused or needlessly mutilated a living animal”.
Zeigler pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including third-degree animal cruelty, and was staring down the barrel of a three to five year prison term.
But the New Jersey man was given time served – just 263 days – behind bars, infuriating animal rights activists who branded it a “slap on the wrist”.
Judge Jeffrey Wilson also sentenced Zeigler to five years of probation and $155 (£117) in fines for the brutality.
Zeigler’s lawyer Jack Tumelty said his client was then admitted to a recovery court that focuses on drug and alcohol abuse.
“He was released from Cape May County Jail on February 12 following a guilty plea entered in Cape May County Superior Court,” he told NJ.com .
“Mr. Zeigler was sentenced to recovery court probation (special probation) on Thursday, March 12, 2026, and will be receiving outpatient treatment.”
Doll Stanley, the senior campaigner for In Defense of Animals’ Justice, blasted the “uncharacteristically light sentence” saying she was “profoundly disappointed”.
“This was a brutal act of torture committed in broad daylight in front of children,” she told the outlet.
“It is extremely disappointing that while the FBI recognizes the link between domestic violence and animal cruelty, and Zeigler embodies this risk.
“Cape May County Court has failed to protect community members of all species.”
The incident occurred at Morey’s Piers in New JerseyCredit: Alamy
Animal cruelty activists blasted the ‘uncharacteristically light’ sentence for beheading the birdCredit: Reuters
Ziegler has reportedly been charged with aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal restraint charges for allegedly beating up the mother of his daughter.
He allegedly left the woman with swollen and bruised eyes, as well as a bloody lip, forehead and scalp, according to Lower Township police records
It was claimed that he then refused to let her go “until her injuries were less apparent”.
She was able to escape the house by climbing through a closet window before running down the street and getting into a stranger’s car.
Ziegler was later arrested for the incident.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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