This man bought a few tiny turtles from a temple vendor. He’ll bless them and gently release them into the river, praying that his worries and attachments can swim away too. He could have bought sparrows in little cages, or eels, or minnows.
Temples are sanctuaries for life in every form. Any creature that wanders in is welcome to stay, and a thousand generations of dogs have made temples their homes. Temple grounds are a good place to get a puppy.
It’s not the same everywhere. Last year we hiked to an ancient Hindu shrine in Nepal, alongside worshipers tugging little goats along on twine leashes. Inside, priests, who never touch a cow, ceremonially slit the throats of the goats. The owners carried the carcasses home in black garbage bags. Christian priests don’t provide animal safe zones, but bless them once a year in antiseptic settings and send them home alive. Jewish shohetim supervise kosher slaughter. All in all, I prefer the Buddhist way.