July 22, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Franklin Zeigler, 29, of Cape May, is charged with animal cruelty for allegedly decapitating a seagull at Morey's Piers in North Wildwood on July 6.
A Cape May man has been charged with animal cruelty for allegedly decapitating a seagull in North Wildwood.
Franklin Ziegler, 29, allegedly killed the bird by removing its head while on the boardwalk at Morey's Piers on July 6, investigators said Monday. They did not provide details about how he allegedly decapitated the bird.
MORE: Cape May's Congress Hall brings in trained hawks to scare off seagulls that bother hotel guests
When officers arrived on the boardwalk, Ziegler allegedly became irate and was uncooperative, police said. He initially was taken into custody on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Police gathered witness statements and photographs during a follow-up investigation to figure out what happened to the seagull, resulting in the third-degree animal cruelty charge.
Ziegler was placed on a summons for the charges and released pending a future court date.
