When the 30-year-old cockatoo Coco was rescued and adopted by animal lovers Danita Morrison and her husband Brad Morrison, this little parrot was determined not only to stay in their home but also to find a place in their hearts.
Danita Morrison, 55, told Epoch Times, “Coco is so affectionate. It’s like saying, ‘Hey, I love you. Whether you like me or not, I will be a part of your life.'”
Mrs. Morrison runs an online parrot supplies store in Vancouver and has been married to her husband for 30 years. Despite her husband not being a fan of pets, Mrs. Morrison still kept many animals in their home because of her love for animals.
“Brad has always been against me having pets, but our house eventually turned into a home for animals. Of course, all the animals think he is the greatest. He doesn’t like them, but they all love him, and he can’t help but love them,” Mrs. Morrison said.
Coco is one of the seven parrots in the Morrison household and has become a star among them.
On the west coast of Canada, a massive abandoned parrot sanctuary was discovered after the founder passed away, leading to the closure of the supporting charity. Mrs. Morrison responded to the call for volunteers and participated in what may be the largest animal rescue operation in Canadian history, saving 584 parrots from a terrible environment.
When Mrs. Morrison first arrived at the World Parrot Rescue Center to help, she found two parrots, Coco and Lucky Lou, huddled together trembling.
“They were cold, hungry, and sick. I felt sorry for them, my heart was broken,” Mrs. Morrison revealed.
Seeing the condition of the parrots, Mrs. Morrison knew she wanted to adopt them. “I felt they needed the care I could provide,” she said.
Mrs. Morrison found the veterinarian responsible for the rescue and expressed her willingness to adopt them. A few weeks later, she received a call to pick up the parrots. When she arrived at the vet’s office, Coco and Lucky Lou were locked in a large dog crate.
“They didn’t look cute at all, it was a mess. They were plucked, bald in some places, trembling. But I remember seeing them and thinking they were the best parrots in the world. I felt like the luckiest person in the world to have them,” Mrs. Morrison shared.
However, Mr. Morrison was not as interested in the two new parrots.
“My husband didn’t know I had adopted two more parrots because I already had three. He found out I adopted more birds on Facebook because he saw my posts. He said, ‘We don’t need more birds,'” Mrs. Morrison mentioned.
After bringing Lucky Lou and Coco home, Mrs. Morrison had to separate them from the other parrots, so she found a spot for them in her spare bedroom. Her husband was clearly not pleased.
“He opened the bedroom door, looked at them, and said, ‘Oh my goodness,'” Mrs. Morrison recounted.
When Mr. Morrison asked how long the parrots would stay, Mrs. Morrison assured him that they were just fostering them. While Mr. Morrison was temporarily appeased, the birds settled in and became more comfortable.
Neither of the two parrots had lived in a home for many years. Lucky Lou had been living in the sanctuary for about 40 years, while Coco had been with a family for 20 years until they abandoned it at the shelter.
“The family used to visit Coco on weekends. When they left, Coco cried for days,” Mrs. Morrison revealed.
Parrots find it hard to adapt to their new home environment, being unused to the sounds of the TV, vacuum cleaner, and radio.
“But it’s also very quiet, warm, and calm here, so they can snuggle in their cages and always have enough fresh food and treats. Before, they had to scavenge for food,” Mrs. Morrison said.
Shortly after arriving at the Morrison’s home, Lucky Lou was diagnosed with lung cancer, struggling to breathe. Mrs. Morrison spent nine months caring for the sick bird, but unfortunately, it passed away. After Lucky Lou’s death, Coco’s bond with the lifesaver grew stronger. They played together, and Coco became more curious about what was happening in the house, showed more interest in other parrots, and even showed off to the male parrots.
“Coco found that the more crazy, adorable, and playful it was, the more attention it garnered. Coco is a performer. It put on a big show for the males, especially my husband,” Mrs. Morrison said.
When Mr. Morrison sits at the table playing jigsaw puzzles or reading the newspaper, Coco would go over and sit with him, pretending to write.
“When I’m not around, Coco would call Mr. Morrison ‘mom’ to get his attention,” Mrs. Morrison shared.
“Coco is funny, loves to make people laugh. It loves to elicit reactions, laughter is one of its favorites. It wants to make you happy, bring joy to you,” Mrs. Morrison said.
Whenever Mr. Morrison brings something new into the house, Coco gets excited and enthusiastically investigates. Mrs. Morrison described Coco as loyal and loving, saying it ‘loves Brad.’
“Whenever Brad is around, Coco would try to rush to him. If Brad is cooking, cleaning, or fixing things, it wants to be involved. If Coco can’t see Brad, it would cry, and Brad would move to be visible to Coco,” Mrs. Morrison revealed.
Since Coco came into their home, Mr. Morrison’s attitude towards the little parrot has changed.
“Brad isn’t really an animal person, he doesn’t understand their personalities or the suffering some animals go through. But I think now, he sees them more as intelligent beings, not just pets,” Mrs. Morrison said.
Three years ago, Coco swallowed a stick, which got stuck in its intestines, making it sick. Surgery was risky and costly, but as the only alternative was euthanasia, Mrs. Morrison agreed to the operation.
“The surgery was successful, but the family knew they would soon lose Coco, which made them very afraid,” Mrs. Morrison shared.
“Coco’s personality fills the entire house. Brad will definitely appreciate it more and worry about it more now that it has survived out of illness. He always says, ‘Don’t let it do this or that.’ He used to turn a blind eye, but now he understands more what can be dangerous for it,” Mrs. Morrison added.
Mrs. Morrison shared Coco’s antics on social media. She is actively concerned about the plight of abandoned parrots, knowing there are many complete parrot sanctuaries in the world, she never encourages people to buy parrots from pet stores or purchase bird babies.
View the video: [Insert YouTube video link here] (Provided by @luckyloucocotoo)