Overview
- Franklin Ziegler decapitated a seagull near Surfside Pier at Morey’s Piers in North Wildwood in July 2024 after it tried to take his daughter’s food.
- A grand jury indicted Ziegler on June 24, 2025, following initial third-degree animal cruelty charges filed by North Wildwood police.
- Ziegler was released from Cape May County Jail on February 12, 2026, after serving 262 days in custody tied to his guilty plea.
- He was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to recovery court probation with outpatient treatment, and court records indicate fines up to $250.
- Animal-rights advocates, including In Defense of Animals’ Justice campaigner Doll Stanley, condemned the outcome and urged the county prosecutor to pursue the maximum penalty, citing broader public-safety concerns.