Coco moves to her third country

After a very quick year of living in Germany, we were posted back to the UK. The organisation began in earnest to yet again travel with a chicken, 2 dogs, 2 guinea-pigs and 2 cars; but this time we were going to drive everyone from Germany to Edith Weston army base in the tiny county of Rutland.

We drove separately and I had Coco in her catbox with the dogs and Emily. As we set off early in the morning, I was so concerned that there was a problem with our old and often unreliable Renault Espace as a low growling noise could be heard coming from the back. The noise grew louder and louder and Emily and I laughed when we realised that it was Coco realising that she was not being let out as usual that morning and her low growl turned to a full blown swear as she clucked loudly at us to let her out. I had no choice but to drive on and she eventually gave in and gave us intermittent cheeps as her whole routine had changed yet again and she reminded us that she was there and she wanted her food.

I was so worried about the checks at Calais as we did not want to declare that we were travelling with a chicken. We did have the papers but we knew that it would delay us. When the border control man stretched into the boot of our car to check to idchips of our dogs, we kept the ‘catbox’ with Coco in it covered and than goodness she did not start her angry squawking again! I felt very emotional driving to the post of Calais. It was at the height of the migrant crisis and we drove past the ‘jungle’ that I had only ever just heard about on the news. The reality of seeing row after row of small tents and desperate people wandering on the road made me feel so privileged and humbled by their strength at taking on such an impossible mission.

I found it harder than normal to settle back into life in the UK having been away for 6 years. Somehow, having my wonderful menagerie to distract me as well as starting work at the wonderful PDSA charity as a vet again, I was able to channel all my emotions into this.

One fateful day I will never forget! I was in our little kitchen washing some lunch bowls at the sink when I looked outside in our garden, only to see 2 Staffys there and a garden full of feathers.

My heart froze! It was similar to seeing 2 wolves in our garden as I knew what had happened. I went outside only to be greeted with great excitement by these dogs who had apparently scaled the fence of their new home around the corner and jumped over the back fence of our garden. Yes they had killed Coco instantly!

I collected every feather to remove the evidence for Emily who I fetched early from school to tell the devastating news. I remember sitting in the reception area of the school waiting while they found Emily for me. I had red eyes and tears streaming down my face. A kindly teacher stopped to ask if I was ok and I yet again burst into tears and left her so concerned that a family member had possibly died. She was as sympathetic when I mentioned that it was our family chicken – something that to this day I so respect her for.

Coco represented so much in our family. She was just a chicken but she was our one constant as we travelled between 3 countries and adapted to new schools, new environments. She as our distraction, needing daily feeding and cleaning, and Ruff guarded her like a hawk -always there to chase any stray foxes or birds whenever she made her alarm cry, he would rush out. We all miss her to this day and she was a powerful influence in all of us turning vegan!!

Emily is an adult now studying to become a paramedic and she is a staunch vegan. Looking after Coco all those years ago gave her all the education she needed and I am just so eternally grateful to our one darling chicken Coco for the life that I now lead as a vegan vet!