Several live chickens found wandering behind a Lakewood business after this week’s Kapparot observances have been rescued and are expected to be taken to an animal sanctuary.
LAKEWOOD, NJ — A handful of chickens apparently escaped their intended fate following this week’s Kapparot observances in Lakewood, turning up alive behind a local business before residents and animal advocates stepped in to help.
The unusual rescue began after several people walking behind a Lakewood store discovered the live birds and contacted Tri-County Scanner News looking for someone experienced with chickens who could take them.
“A person messaged us concerned,” Tri-County Scanner News reported. “This person and a few friends were walking behind a Lakewood store where they found a few live chickens that have been discarded after Kapparot.”
The outlet then put out a public call for help.
Within hours, that call was answered.
Rescuers locate the chickens
Tri-County Scanner News later updated followers to report that someone was on the way to rescue the birds.
Animal advocate Susan Kearney said the chickens had been secured and appeared to be in relatively good condition.
“They are in pretty good shape these Cornish Crosses and will be going to sanctuary when they decompress,” Kearney wrote.
The chickens are now being cared for and are expected to be moved to a sanctuary rather than returned to the slaughter process or left in the wild.
What is Kapparot?
Kapparot is a traditional Jewish ritual practiced by some Orthodox communities in the period immediately before Yom Kippur.
In the version of the ritual involving a live chicken, the bird is passed over a person’s head while prayers are recited as part of a symbolic act of atonement. The chicken is then slaughtered according to kosher requirements.
Traditionally, the meat is intended to be donated to people in need.
Other Jewish communities perform the ritual using money instead of a live animal, with the money then donated to charity.
The use of live chickens has become controversial in some communities, with animal-welfare organizations raising concerns over transportation, handling, holding conditions and what happens to birds before and after the ritual.
A few birds managed to get away
In this case, several chickens apparently remained alive after the Lakewood event and ended up loose behind a business.
Exactly how the birds escaped or how long they had been wandering was not immediately clear.
The episode added an unusual ending to this year’s Kapparot observances in Lakewood and surrounding communities, where large numbers of chickens are brought in annually for the ritual.
Rather than becoming part of the ceremony, however, these birds ended the week headed for sanctuary.