WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Little Jerry Seinfeld, the chicken who Mets reliever Tim Byrdak brought into the clubhouse as a prank — then came out carrying like a baby — will arrive at his new home later today: Farm Sanctuary’s 275 acre New York Shelter in Watkins Glen. Here, he’ll enjoy the company of other chickens, scratching in the dirt, dust bathing and basking in the sun.
Spared from miserable conditions and certain death at a Chinatown “live market,” where animals are sold and either slaughtered on site or taken home to be slaughtered, Little Jerry has been celebrated by USA Today, Associated Press, New York Post, Daily News, ESPN, and hundreds more newspapers and broadcast outlets across the country. He’s turned into an overnight celebrity almost big enough to rival his famous namesake — who tweeted his support for the bird yesterday.
“We are thrilled this story had a happy ending,” said Gene Baur, President and Co-founder of Farm Sanctuary. “Most chickens, nearly 9 billion a year in fact, meet an extremely grim end in a slaughterhouse after lives void of sunshine, fresh air and kindness on factory farms. We’re glad the Mets realized that Little Jerry is an intelligent, social animal and, like all chickens, he deserved to be treated with kindness. Tim Byrdak is known for being the team jester, but we’re grateful he was serious about ensuring that this chicken would have a happy life. We thank Tim and everyone at the Mets for having such big hearts!”
Mets fans are invited to visit Little Jerry Seinfeld at his new upstate home (about a 4.5 hour drive from New York City), where he will serve as an ambassador for the billions of less fortunate chickens who continue to suffer unthinkable abuses each year on factory farms. Says Baur, “We hope everyone who is glad that Little Jerry will have a good life will think about what they can do in their daily lives to spare food animals just like him – even choosing one meat-free meal a day or designating one day per week as meat-free makes a big difference to farm animals who are every bit as emotional and intelligent as our cats and dogs.”
For more information about Farm Sanctuary, visit farmsanctuary.org.
