Post by lizmaselli
Warning reading may be sensitive and upsetting.*
Yesterday I picked up our Kaporos rescues for this year. We usually take more , but we have absolutely no extra coop room as we have to quarantine due to avian flu and we actually still have Kaporos babies from the last three years. We were still able to take in 4 roosters. We usually rescue from the big ritual in Brooklyn, NY but the Jewish Sect in Cleveland starting performing the ritual, so we wanted to help our save group close to home.
If you're not familiar with the Kaparot Ceremony, a short explanation is that it basically a nich ritual slaughter practice by a smaller group of Hasidic Jews. Over 600,000 chickens are slaughtered in broad daylight on the streets of Brooklyn each year. They are only 6 weeks old. They're usually left outside several days before in plastic crates with no water or food. Thousands die just from hypothermia and dehydration. After the "sacrifice " they're thrown in the trash can, still partially alive to die a painful death.
Kaporos precedes Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Chickens are swung over a person's head by their legs or by pinning their wings backwards and their neck is then sliced and they are left to bleed out to death.
There are several activist groups in NYC this week trying to liberate birds and save and care for the wounded that are still alive. I plan to train to be in NYC for it in the future. I know how to clean wounds and bandage, so this is something that I feel is important for me to lend my services. Luckily hundreds of birds are saved, but it's tricky to find them all homes at sanctuaries.
Meet Atticus. He was rescued from the Cleveland sacrifice 2 nights ago. He has two broken wings and a fractured foot. He his broken, but he is sweet and loving and curious. I sat with him in the backseat for the drive home to Sunrise. He is so uncomfortable in his bandages, so I rubbed his little neck and spoke to him. He looks up at you when you speak. He is adorable and I love him immensely. He will he a house rooster and live with Sandy at @sunrisesanctuary He will need a lot of tlc, but he's one of the lucky ones.
Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos
https://www.facebook.com/AlliancetoEndChickensasKaporos