February 3, 2010 10:21 AM

NASCAR Lover Dennis Zeglin Killed Pet Parrot for Interrupting Race, Beer

By
Ryan Smith
Topics
Daily Blotter
(AP Photo )
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBS/ AP) Polly want a cracker?

It might be an annoying phrase like that, that cost an African gray parrot its life last year.

Photo: African Gray Parrot.

A New Jersey man stands accused of shooting and killing the pet bird with a BB gun because he was maddened by the animal, and the noise it was making, while he was watching a NASCAR race on TV.

Dennis Zeglin, of Randolph, was indicted on an animal cruelty charge by a Morris County grand jury Tuesday.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Zeglin, 67, allegedly shot the parrot, named "Mikey," three times on June 7 of last year.

His wife called police when she saw that the bird had been killed.

Zeglin's attorney, Stephen Fletcher, said his client was intoxicated at the time and afterward received treatment for alcoholism.

He said Zeglin regrets the incident and hopes to be accepted into a pretrial intervention program.

Add a Comment
by TERRYHARRIS08079 February 4, 2010 12:44 PM EST
He needs to shoot the wife next for calling the police. Also does everyone that does something stupid while drinking have to receive treatment for alcoholism? Everybody is not an alcoholic just because they drink and can do something dumb when they drink.The jail time seems a bit high for killing a bird. I have seen shorter sentences for killing a man or woman.
Reply to this comment
by GrazersEdge August 5, 2010 2:30 PM EDT
Not just something stupid - he shoots and kills the family pet when he's drunk! Yeah, I'd say he has a problem. It doesn't say that he HAD to receive treatment, just that he did.
by climber333 September 2, 2010 8:53 PM EDT
African Grays are extremely intelligent animals and in a loving, healthy family, will thrive and usually not be so noisy. The animal has a life span of 50+ years and has the intelligence of or above a 3 year old child. Probably more intelligent than Zeglin. If he was so drunk, how did he manage to aim and shoot the bird to death with 3 shots?
Not saying I'd do it, but my first reaction is to apply the same justice to him. He's annoying me by his ignorance and disgusting actions and I'm on a prescription pain medication...shouldn't take more than 3 shotgun blasts to get rid of an annoying, ignorant, waste of oxygen.
by I_am_me1953 February 3, 2010 11:55 AM EST
From above article, "He said Zeglin regrets the incident and hopes to be accepted into a pretrial intervention program."

____________________________


He needs intervention to help him get over his addiction to NASCAR.
Reply to this comment
by GrazersEdge August 5, 2010 2:32 PM EDT
Hmm...NASCAR Anonymous - too bad there's already an NA :)
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