EXCLUSIVE
Wildlife rescue volunteers say they have received death threats for trying to stop them Molly the Magpie being held back with to queensland as a couple Staffordshire terriers pet.
Molly and her canine companions, Peggy and Ruby, live with Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen in their Gold Coast home and have become social media stars.
The magpie was removed from the property in March after authorities learned Wells and Mortensen did not have permission to care for native wildlife, but the bird was returned six weeks later after a public outcry.
Law firm XD Law & Advocacy has launched Supreme Court action against Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) for granting the couple a wildlife permit.
The firm acts on behalf of an anonymous wildlife rescue volunteer who is supported by dozens of other animal carers, many of whom have been brutally attacked by online trolls.
One of the volunteers backing the challenge to DESI to allow Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen to stay with Molly wants to tell his side of the story, but fears being identified.
“A lot of carers are being beaten and intimidated – death threats, rape threats… it’s unbelievable,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It’s not about this particular bird. The perception in this regard has been one-sided.
Wildlife rescue volunteers opposed to Molly the Magpie being held by a Queensland couple along with two Staffordshire terriers say they have received death threats for speaking out. Gold Coast woman Juliette Wells is pictured with Molly and one of her dogs.
“Rather than looking at the issue as a licensing issue, it’s about the people who adopted it and not about whether it’s right or wrong.”
Another wildlife keeper said that when she reacted negatively online to Molly being held in a house, she was inundated with vile messages, including a suggestion to commit suicide.
“I received a lot of death threats,” he said. “A lady said she knew where I lived and would be there in the morning.”
A third carer who doesn’t even live in southeast Queensland said her opposition to Molly’s situation had sparked an avalanche of insults online.
“They just constantly insult you,” he said. “They’ve called me an idiot, they’ve called me an idiot, they’ve called me an idiot.”
XD Law & Advocacy, which previously represented YouTube creator Jordan ‘friendlyjordies’ Shanks and defense forces whistleblower David McBride, has received an email threat to blow up its offices since taking on the case.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that Wells and Mortensen are in any way responsible for the actions of anyone who abused wildlife workers or threatened lawyers.
The first volunteer revealed that wildlife rescue groups were now sending keepers in pairs rather than alone after the abuse they had suffered.
“What we do is not easy,” she said through tears. ‘It’s hard work. We work long hours for no money. At the end of the day, all wildfire keepers are vilified.”
Molly and her canine companions, Peggy and Ruby, live with Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen in their Gold Coast home and have become social media stars.
The volunteer said magpies did not make suitable pets and suffered when kept in domestic captivity and that Molly, who is actually male, was unlikely to survive.
That was also DESI’s original position when he first took Molly out of the house.
“It is alleged that the bird was taken from the wild and kept illegally, without DESI issuing any permit, license or authority,” a department spokesperson said at the time.
DESI had independent veterinary advice. Molly could never be returned to the wild, meaning he would have to be sent to a sanctuary or euthanized.
Molly and Peggy have 1.3 million followers on Facebook and almost 1 million on Instagram, and the resulting public backlash prompted an extraordinary intervention from Prime Minister Steven Miles.
Miles dismissed criticism that he had bowed to social media pressure by allowing Wells and Mortensen to stay with Molly, saying granting them permission was a “common sense” approach.
“I’m not a bird expert, but it looks very good and healthy to me,” Mr. Miles said when he visited Molly at the couple’s home.
DESI granted Ms Wells permission to keep Molly after they agreed to conditions including not profiting from the magpie or its image, receiving appropriate training and defending wildlife.
XD Law & Advocacy will argue that the decision was made for political reasons due to media pressure and sets a precedent for anyone to own a wild animal.
The wildlife volunteer who said she had received death threats after raising concerns about Molly’s welfare said magpies should be protected as native wildlife.
If Molly were to fly away from her current home, she would be at risk of being attacked by dogs she might assume are friendly and would likely be threatened by other magpies.
“They will kill him,” he said. Or they will expel him from their territory. He has no skills to cope with life in the wild.
‘He cannot interact socially with other animals. “He doesn’t have the skills to thrive.”
Molly was kicked off the property in March after authorities learned Wells and Mortensen did not have permission to care for native wildlife, but she was returned a month later amid a public outcry.
The volunteer said Molly would want to start her own family and not spend her life playing with dogs.
“If magpies were capable of being pets like rainbow lorikeets or sulfur-crested cockatoos, they would be pets,” he said.
‘We don’t have magpies as pets and there is a good reason for that.
‘People may think it’s cute. It may be pretty on the outside, but it’s not pretty on that bird.’
According to a post on Molly and Peggy’s Facebook page in May of last year, the bird has already had at least one close encounter with other magpies.
“A few days ago, Molly had a fight with a couple of other magpies,” the post read. “He is not seriously injured, but he is shocked.
‘He had pain in his leg and blood on the sides of his head and around his neck. He spent a few days resting and sleeping.’
The volunteer said she and other keepers already knew of the “copycats” who had decided to take native animals, including magpies, into their homes.
“It’s been a problem for people to maintain wildlife for a long time,” he said.
‘It’s not something you can just Google. It requires training, experience and knowledge.
“We have seen an increase in the number of magpies arriving with their wings and tails clipped.”
Public sympathy for Molly’s caretakers also led donors to decide they would withhold the money wildlife rescue organizations need to continue.
The wildlife volunteer said that, although she was concerned about Molly’s circumstances, the legal action was aimed only at the magpie’s caretakers or a particular bird.
“The question is whether DESI made the decision and how they made it,” he said.
‘It’s about the licensing system, about giving people a precedent. People go poaching in the wild.
“We can no longer tell people that it is illegal to take and keep that animal and that is very worrying.
‘I want them to fix the system. I am determined to get this cleared up in court so everyone knows where they stand. What are the criteria for this special exemption?
DESI did not provide the full list of conditions under which Ms. Wells and Mr. Mortensen were allowed to keep Molly in their home.
“The decision to return an Australian magpie to a Gold Coast couple was made in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act 1992,” a department spokesperson said.
“We are unable to provide further comment.”
Law firm XD Law & Advocacy has launched Supreme Court action against Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) for granting a wildlife permit to Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen.
Another volunteer, whose association is not part of the court case, said she was against Molly remaining in a home.
“As a wildlife keeper, I am totally against this situation where this magpie is kept in captivity and allowed to interact with dogs,” she said.
“The people involved should never have been allowed to keep a wild bird as they were not even registered as keepers.”
Mortensen said last week that his family was distraught by the new legal challenge to keep Molly.
“Molly is 100 percent, and always has been, our focus,” he told A Current Affair. ‘We just want to move on and move forward.
‘Every time we’re in front of the public and things like that, it raises awareness for people to go out and try to do something to help wildlife and get involved.
“What we want to try to do is involve as many people as possible to help wildlife, because there aren’t many wildlife keepers out there.”
Mrs Wells said: “Four years ago yesterday, when we encountered a little magpie, who would have thought we would be in front of the Supreme Court here in Brisbane?”
‘Molly is happy, healthy and alive. Bossy, barking and being Molly.
Wells and Mortensen, who were contacted for comment, rescued Molly as a chick after she fell from her nest.
The case returns to the Supreme Court next month.