Named Martin, the rooster has reportedly spent eight years outside a hospital in Santa Cruz, where his owner once received cancer treatment before passing away from the disease.
A rooster in Bolivia has drawn comparisons to Hachiko, the legendary Japanese dog who continued waiting for his owner at a train station long after his death. Named Martin, the rooster has reportedly spent eight years outside a hospital in Santa Cruz, where his owner once received cancer treatment before passing away from the disease.
According to ADN Noticias, a Mexican free-to-air television news channel, Martin first arrived at the Oncology Institute of Eastern Bolivia with his owner, who had travelled there for cancer treatment. After his owner's death, however, the rooster remained at the medical facility, seemingly unwilling to leave the place where he last saw his beloved companion.
Over the years, Martin has made the hospital grounds his home. He spends his days pacing around the premises and roosting in trees outside the institute, becoming a familiar presence for those who visit or work at the facility. His stay has drawn comparisons to Hachiko, whose unwavering devotion to his deceased owner became one of Japan's most enduring stories of animal loyalty.
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While Martin's story has deeply touched hospital staff and local residents, it remains impossible to establish whether the rooster consciously waits for his owner's return or has simply grown accustomed to the surroundings.
Several reports published by Bolivian broadcaster Red Uno have also shed light on Martin's daily routine. The rooster reportedly approaches people who offer him food and has developed a particular fondness for pipoca, the Spanish word for popcorn.
Martin’s story goes ,viral, after Reuters report
Martin's touching story recently gained renewed attention after international news agency Reuters published a report featuring fresh accounts and photographs of the rooster outside the Eastern Cancer Institute in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
The photographs show Martin still roaming the same hospital grounds, eight years after he first arrived with his owner.
Hospital staff and nearby shopkeepers have grown fond of the feathered resident and ensure that he is fed and cared for. Their affection has helped Martin remain a cherished part of the local community.
Today, the rooster has become a comforting presence for patients, visitors and doctors passing through the hospital doors.
