A man who allegedly ripped the head off of a seagull earlier this month at a New Jersey pier has struck a nerve with some people disturbed by the violence of the attack.
Franklin Zeigler, 29, was charged with third-degree animal cruelty after witnesses reported the alleged decapitation on July 6 at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey, the North Wildwood Police Department said in a release.
Zeigler allegedly killed the bird after it took french fries from his daughter, according to WPVI-TV, citing court documents.
Social media quickly took note, as people who were disgusted by Zeigler's alleged act spoke up in condemnation.
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"Wtf is wrong with people?" one person wrote on Facebook, while another accused him of being a "danger to society."
"But I do feel it all boils down to what is acceptable to do to non-humans in our society," the person added.
A third person simply called Zeigler a "Sicko."
A fourth individual wrote, "A seagull at Circular Quay Sydney snatched my reading glasses off my face because I was holding Maccas chips and finally dropped my glasses at the Opera House and fortunately not in the harbour, but I would never hurt it because of that. Gosh, horrible man."
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Another person said on X, "That is unacceptable. The man took his child into the seagulls' environment and expects the seagulls to know man’s expectations. SMH."
"Scary world we live in," a sixth added.
Despite his arrest, a petition nearly 45,000 signatures strong is calling for Zeigler to also have to undergo mental health counseling and never be allowed to own an animal.
"If he is allowed to continue on without any real consequences or repercussions, who knows what the object of his next violent outburst will be," the petition argued, "Another animal? A person? A child?"
It continued, "The pure barbarity that this man displayed must have been terrifying," adding that Zeigler reportedly asked for a trash bag from a beachfront business while still holding the decapitated seagull.
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Zeigler was "irate and uncooperative with officers on an unrelated investigation," police said, resulting in him being arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest before his animal cruelty charges were later added during a follow-up investigation.
