New York City Kaporos Report, 2025

The Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos continues our work as a compassionate voice for chickens despite increasing restrictive factors. We rescue, medically treat, and transport survivors to their forever homes all over the US. We provide water and food to thousands of mistreated birds that are crammed for days in plastic crates. We also educate practitioners about the cruelty and illegality of using chickens in the Kaporos ritual.

In the week prior to Kaporos, AECK co-founder Rina Deych spearheaded an outreach effort with the help of volunteers. They had many productive conversations to continue encouraging the communities to use money rather than animals for the annual Kaporos rituals.

Our action committee was once again forced to be a small group of activists due to increased law enforcement presence and opposition. Through our contacts at NYPD, we’ve been able to continue administering chicken care at the sites and negotiate open rescues - so long as our numbers were fewer than 10 people. We did have a Board Certified Avian Veterinarian with us the final night, and consistently had a stocked ambulance near the sites to provide immediate care to critical victims. The rescue team secured an open rescue of over 80 birds the final morning of ritual week.

Our incredible fosters were overseen by Tamerlaine Farm Sanctuary and Preserve, and were held at private homes in Upstate NY and on Long Island. Tamerlaine has also permanently adopted the most severe health-compromised birds to join their Wounded Warriors flock.

Through open rescue and separate efforts by the Official Rescue Team, we rescued 202 birds. About two dozen of these birds required special medical care, including wing and toe amputations, broken beaks, eye infections, one slit throat, and several with mobility issues.

Transports have been completed by incredible volunteer drivers to California, Virginia, Vermont, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

Our total rescue expenses were $22,296 (Triage/Foster $3,067; Medical $9,510; Sanctuary Support $3,000; Transport $6,719). The total raised was $28,560. – Jill Carnegie, Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos

Just because we can’t save them all doesn’t mean we can’t show kindness. Activists provide affection and nourishment to thousands of suffering baby birds every year in the streets. We wish we could save every one of them, and we do rescue who we can. At the very least, these little beings know that not every human is a monster, and they know that someone was with them and saw them as worthy of care.

The week before Kaporos, we did outreach every day in different areas of Williamsburg and Crown Heights. On one of the days, we set up a table right outside of Chabad Headquarters. We planted many seeds with posters and video of chickens, both happy and sad. - Rina Deych

These rescued birds at their foster home experience kindness, soft grass, and warm sun for the first time.