But Sophia Deluz, a longtime vegan and seasoned rescuer, has spent years marking holidays and other special occasions by including farm animals in her festivities—not as food, but as a friends. And in early 2020, on her 27th birthday, she inspired an employee at a New York City live market to set free three hens—Helena, Misha, and Priyanka—so that they, too, could live to see another birthday.

More than nine billion chickens are slaughtered for food each year in the United States. And while we don’t tend to imagine flocks of chickens roaming the Big Apple, an estimated 12-17 million are killed in New York City’s live markets alone. These storefront slaughterhouses populate the streets; with over 80 facilities in the region, it’s almost as easy to choose a living animal for slaughter as it is to drop off your dry cleaning.

Deluz is well-known in her community by activists and slaughterhouse workers alike. She’s earned the latter group’s respect by meeting employees where they are, without judgement and with an an awareness that animals aren’t the only victims of this industry.

A significant proportion of slaughterhouse workers are low-income people of color—many undocumented—who enter this line of work because they have to, not because they want to. They face significant injuries—from repetitive-motion strain, to maiming and death from machinery. They can also endure psychological trauma from the horrors of the job.

Several workers that Deluz approached that day wanted to help, but couldn’t: It could cost them their jobs. But eventually, fortuitously, one employee took a risk, followed his heart, and gave three chicks a way out.

Helena, Misha, and Priyanka are Cornish Crosses—the most common breed of chicken raised for meat. They were less than two months old by the time they arrived at Farm Sanctuary with mycoplasma (bacteria infecting the respiratory system) and cryptosporidium (a gastrointestinal parasite causing severe dehydration and diarrhea). Both are contagious and can be lethal if left untreated. (Note: Illness is common in animals raised for food, due in part to close confinement and stressed immune systems related to rapid growth. Learn more.)

The girls also came with strong wills to live. Those who have never met a chicken up close might be surprised to learn of their capacity to bond—but these ladies do everything together—from snuggling side by side in their pen, to exploring the outdoors. Despite all this trio had been through, they are kind, curious, and social birds who now trust us and enjoy our company. And since they no longer need to fight for their lives, they can finally start to enjoy them.