The former owners of a world-famous magpie have made an emotional plea for the bird to return home.
Molly the magpie became a social media phenomenon when wildlife enthusiast Juliette Wells and her partner Reese Mortenson shared the unlikely “cross-species friendship” between the bird and their Staffordshire terriers, Peggy and Ruby.
But Mrs Wells and Mr Mortenson, who live in Coomera on the Gold Coast, were left heartbroken on March 1 when authorities detained Molly over allegations the bird was “unlawfully kept”.
Now Mrs Wells has made a heartbreaking plea for Molly to return home, asking for a “positive outcome”.
Molly the magpie became a global phenomenon when wildlife enthusiast Juliette Wells and her partner Reese Mortenson documented the unlikely “interspecies friendship” between the bird and her Staffordshire terriers, Peggy and Ruby (pictured together) .
The heartbroken couple claimed the image above was “among some of the last photos we took of these three together.”
“They came and told us they wanted to take you,” he said in a voiceover in a video of Molly, who is actually a man, playing with Peggy and Ruby in their garden.
“We couldn’t even imagine what that would be like. I’ll never forget that day.’
‘If Molly had a voice, what would she say? If Molly could choose, where would she stay?
Queensland Department of Science, Environment and Innovation (DESI) officials were concerned the couple did not have permission to keep the bird they claimed belongs in the wild.
It comes just days after Queensland Premier Steven Miles waded into the fray amid a public outcry, throwing his support behind an emotional transspecies meeting.
“The environment department is willing to train Molly’s parents to be wildlife keepers, to get that certification, so that Molly can be reunited with the family,” Premier Miles said Thursday.
Miles said he wanted authorities to help the family obtain a permit and rejected suggestions that the decision would set a bad precedent.
“What interests me most here is what is best for that animal, and if the department can work with the family to reunite them in a way that is legal, I would support that,” he added.
Mrs Wells has made a heartbreaking plea for Molly to return home, asking for a “positive outcome”.
“I think sometimes common sense should prevail, and in this case, ensuring they can legally care for Molly is the best outcome for Molly.
“I think if we look at history, it is possible to achieve a better result.” I don’t want any of the rules to be broken, but there has to be a way within the rules to see Molly live a happy life with her family.
Despite the Premier’s intervention, the couple stated in a post on Sunday that they have not heard anything directly.
“To date we have not heard anything directly, we do not know where Molly is or what the outcome will be,” they wrote.
Several petitions to return Molly to the family have garnered just under 130,000 signatures.
The pair claim they rescued Molly as a chick after she fell from her nest in 2020.
Originally, Mrs. Wells thought Molly was a woman, but she is actually a man and the name stuck.
Videos of Molly playing with the couple’s two Staffies soon gained traction online and developed a loyal fan base.
“Juliette is passionate about photography and posted some photos of Molly having fun with the dogs, but we never expected this to go viral,” Mortenson previously said.
The couple “voluntarily surrendered” Molly to DESI on March 1.
Queensland legislation prohibits the domestication of native wild animals due to the potential impact on wildlife.
Sick, orphaned or injured animals can only be rescued and cared for by those who have a rehabilitation permit and intend to return them to the wild.
However, the couple claim that they did not care for Molly in the same way a pet owner would care for a cockatoo or parrot, insisting instead that the bird is free to fly and search for food.
Wells was first asked to hand Molly over six months ago when authorities visited her home, but she was unable to capture the bird because it was in a tree.
Previously, DESI said that Molly couldn’t fly like a normal magpie.
Wells brought Molly home in 2020, suspecting that she had been abandoned by her parents.
“Unfortunately, he is very habituated to human contact and is not capable of being returned to the wild,” a DESI spokesperson said.
However, not everyone is in favor of Molly’s return.
A wildlife keeper, who asked to remain anonymous, told 7NEWS.com.au the magpie “should not be returned” to its home despite a huge online push for the reunion.
Another keeper said there were strict laws they had to follow and that their status as a keeper didn’t even guarantee their right to own an animal.
“At the end of the day, if one person is allowed to do this, what’s stopping all the other Toms, Dicks and Harrys from having a magpie, a joey or a kangaroo hopping around in their backyard as a pet?” the caretaker said. to the publication.
Wildlife keepers who oppose the move to reunite Molly are reportedly receiving death threats and abusive comments.