6 min read Bird Visits Sick Friend In Hospital To Give Her Kisses She starts bouncing in excitement as soon as she gets in the car.

Everyone needs a friend — especially when they're going through a hard time — and that’s just what Coco is for Lucky Lou, a bird struggling with lung cancer.

Danita Morrison

The pair have been through so much together already. They found each other at the World Parrot Refuge in Vancouver, Canada, after being dumped by their former owners, who didn’t realize how much work keeping an exotic bird was.

Lucky in her cage at the ruined refuge before being rescued | Danita Morrison

Coco at the refuge before it shut down | Danita Morrison

“The refuge was kind of like Canada’s dumping ground for unwanted parrots,” Danita Morrison, who runs the online shop Things for Wings and the parrot owner help forum Avian Avenue, told The Dodo.

Lucky and Coco have been inseparable ever since they met at the refuge. | Danita Morrison

“Lucky started pulling out her feathers and she came to the refuge literally cussing because her former owner had started cussing at her,” Morrison said. Lucky’s struggles didn’t end once she came to the refuge. Last year, the refuge got overcrowded and started losing money — and then the owner got sick and passed away. All 584 birds at the refuge needed rescuing yet again.

Coco keeps Lucky company in the shower; the steam is good for Lucky's lungs. | Danita Morrison

That’s where Morrison found Lucky Lou and Coco, huddling together in a cage. She immediately knew she had to help these friends, so she adopted both of them. And Dr. Anne McDonald, a veterinarian at Night Owl Bird Hospital and Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary, stepped in to help rehome the other birds left homeless when the refuge closed.

Coco visits Lucky when she has to be admitted to the bird hospital. | Danita Morrison

Ever since, Lucky and Coco have been inseparable in their new home. And that’s why, when it was discovered that Lucky was sick with lung cancer, Coco has been beside her as much as possible. She even visits her when Lucky has to be admitted to the hospital, thanks to Morrison, who drives her there since she understands how important it is for Coco to be there for Lucky.

Danita Morrison drives Coco to and from the hospital just to visit her friend, Lucky. | Danita Morrison

Currently, Lucky is staying at the hospital so she can be nearby an incubator when she goes into respiratory distress. And Coco misses her terribly, especially at night, since they usually sleep in the same cage together. “Coco cries at bedtime,” Morrison said. “She misses her for sure.”

Coco gets so excited to visit Lucky. | Danita Morrison

During the day, Coco clings to Morrison more while her friend is away. “I carry her everywhere at home on my shoulder so she can manage,” Morrison said. Coco also blows off some steam by doing her favorite activity: dancing.

But sometimes only a visit to Lucky helps calm Coco. “Coco loves to visit Lucky and bounces all the way to the clinic when I tell her where we are going,” Morrison said. “Lucky just snuggles into both of us when we get there.”

Lucky snuggles up to the woman who rescued her. | Danita Morrison

During Coco’s latest visiting hours, she nuzzled up to Lucky’s head with her little beak, as though she were giving her friend a kiss. And the missing is mutual. “Lucky puts her wings around both Coco and me when we visit,” Morrison said.

Coco kisses Lucky's head at the hospital. | Danita Morrison

Lucky snuggles up to her best friend, Coco, at the hospital. | Danita Morrison

Until Morrison gets an incubator for her own home, so that Lucky doesn’t have to go to the hospital for emergency oxygen, these visits help everyone feel hopeful. But it’s still hard to say goodbye.

Lucky says goodbye to her rescuer. | Danita Morrison

“I put my hand up to leave and she put her little foot up,” Morrison said. “I never believed in miracles really, but now I dream that perhaps Lucky has a miracle.”

Coco stands by Lucky through her treatment. | Danita Morrison

Even though Lucky may not have much time left, she’s surrounded by love. And, in a sense, considering where she came from, that’s the greatest miracle of all.