A woman known for walking her pet tortoise along the beach says she can’t imagine life without her beloved companion. Jackie Leek, often seen with her eight-year-old African sulcata tortoise, Mr. Miyagi, in Morecambe, Lancashire, shared how much her pet has transformed her life.
As a retired nurse battling myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, Jackie had been feeling isolated before Mr. Miyagi entered her life. The friendly tortoise, measuring 1.6ft (50cm) from head to tail, has become her source of comfort.
“He’s more than just a tortoise to me—he’s my world,” said Jackie. “I absolutely adore him.”
Now 58 and living in Warrington, Cheshire, she often talks to Mr. Miyagi when something is weighing on her mind. “He’s always there. I’ll sit on the floor with him and tell him everything,” she explained.
Weighing about one stone (6.3kg), Mr. Miyagi enjoys a varied diet, including romaine lettuce, a special type of hay, and dandelions, with occasional treats like strawberries or green beans. Jackie has even trained him to respond when she calls. “He’ll come sit with me when I call him,” she added.
But life with a large tortoise isn’t always easy. Mr. Miyagi has been known to rearrange furniture or wreak havoc in the garden. “I scold him, and he behaves for a while,” she laughed.
With African sulcata tortoises living over 70 years, Jackie has had to plan for Mr. Miyagi’s future. “I’ve left him some money, hoping a family member will take care of him,” she said. “But even if they don’t, I’m confident someone else will love him as much as I do.”