Mike Cooney, 44, from Manchester, was living onsite at a holiday resort in Cornwall when a new pet ban left him facing homelessness – but he turned the setback into an epic 500-mile walking journey with his dog Willow
Mike and three-year-old Willow(Image: UGC)
A chef who found himself homeless after being informed he could no longer keep his dogs in staff accommodation has set out on a 500-mile trek.
Mike Cooney, 44, originally from Manchester, was employed at a holiday resort in Cornwall and residing onsite with his dogs for approximately eight months before a management change resulted in a sudden rule alteration prohibiting pets.
He said he was given merely two weeks to arrange alternatives. Confronted with the possibility of losing his pets, Mike said he opted to abandon his job and accommodation instead.
He is now 54 days into a journey he hopes will ultimately take him from Cornwall to Scotland, spanning roughly 500 miles. Despite his circumstances, Mike said the journey has been life-changing.
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Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Mike said: “Choosing my dogs was quite easy. But the whole process of what I was going to do if I was made homeless and sleeping on the streets was quite daunting. I thought, I’ve always wanted to go and see the orcas, so I just did it.”
After contacting Cornwall Council, Mike said he was informed he would probably be without accommodation for at least three months. Now officially homeless, he decided to “turn a setback into an opportunity” and departed on foot.
He said: “In theory, I have nowhere to go. All my stuff is in storage in Cornwall. If I went back, I’d still be in the same boat, waiting for accommodation.
“My time was running out. I was watching people online doing these crazy hikes and I thought I’d give it a go. I didn’t know what to expect when I started the walk but I didn’t know it was going to be this amazing.
“The walk has been incredible, I’ve had the best 54 days of my life. I’ve never felt so free; it feels like an adventure even though I’m homeless. I’ve met so many generous people.”
Mike is making the journey alongside his dog Willow, a German Shepherd Chow Chow cross, whose needs have been fully covered throughout the trip via donations tied to animal welfare charity StreetVet.
The organisation, which offers veterinary care, food and assistance for the pets of those experiencing homelessness, has maintained regular contact throughout his trek and has proved “crucial” to his journey.
Mike has also been sharing updates on social media, where his followers have rallied round to support him with care packages delivered to InPost lockers, as well as the occasional hotel stay and food donations.
He said: “The hospitality and generosity of the people has humbled me, it really has. We stop in pubs for water and to charge my phone, and they often feed us and send us on our way. Costa Coffee has also been incredible.”
Mike recently spent two nights in Liverpool, describing the city as one of the standout moments of his trip: “Liverpool is the cleanest city I’ve ever been to. I’m from Manchester and there’s rubbish all over the street. But Liverpool is neat and tidy; it felt like a happy place to be and it was one of the places I was looking forward to the most. It’s an incredible city.”
Reflecting on the struggles faced by homeless people, Mike said: “You get judged a lot. Even though I’m on a hike, and I’ve got signs all over my backpack, I still look homeless when I’m walking. You get some people asking if you need anything, and then others who give you the weirdest looks and ask you to move on.”
Mike has also been travelling alongside a second dog, Bella, a Shih Tzu, who is currently being looked after by a friend owing to the demands of the journey.
Looking to the future, Mike says he is concentrating on the here and now rather than making long-term plans. He said: “I’m living in the present at the moment. I know I can’t live this life forever and I know I have to go back to the real world one day. But if my socials blow up, we could turn it into a massive adventure and travel the world.”
