The former owners of a world-famous magpie have made an emotional plea for the bird to be returned home.
Molly the magpie became a social media phenomenon when nature lover Juliette Wells and her partner Reese Mortenson shared the unlikely ‘interspecies friendship’ between the bird and their Staffordshire terriers, Peggy and Ruby.
But Ms Wells and Mr Mortenson, who live in Coomera on the Gold Coast, were left heartbroken on March 1 when authorities seized Molly amid allegations the bird was being ‘unlawfully kept’.
Now Mrs Wells has made a heartbreaking plea for Molly to return home, calling for a ‘positive outcome’.
Molly the magpie became a global phenomenon when nature lover Juliette Wells and her partner Reese Mortenson documented the unlikely ‘interspecies friendship’ between the bird and their Staffordshire terriers, Peggy and Ruby (pictured together)
The heartbroken couple claimed the above photo was ‘one of the last photos we took together of these three’
“They came and told us they wanted to take you with them,” she said in a voiceover over a video of Molly, who is actually a man, playing with Peggy and Ruby in their yard.
‘We couldn’t even imagine what that would be like. I’ll never forget that day.’
‘If Molly had a voice, what would he say? If Molly had a choice, where would he stay?’
Officials from Queensland’s Department of Science, Environment and Innovation (DESI) were concerned the couple did not have a permit to keep the bird they claimed belongs in the wild.
It comes days after Queensland Premier Steven Miles stepped in amid a public outcry, lending his support to an emotional interspecies reunion.
“The Environment Department stands ready to train Molly’s parents as wildlife caregivers to obtain that certification so that Molly can be reunited with the family,” Prime Minister Miles said Thursday.
Mr Miles said he wanted authorities to help the family get a permit, and rejected suggestions the decision would set a bad precedent.
“What I’m most interested in here is what’s in the best interest of that animal, and if the department can work with the family to reunite them in a legal manner, I would support that,” he added.
Mrs Wells has made a heartbreaking plea for Molly to return home, pleading for a ‘positive outcome’
‘I think sometimes common sense has to prevail and in this case the best outcome for Molly is to ensure they can legally care for Molly.
“I think if you look at the story, a better outcome is possible. “I don’t want any rules to be broken, but there has to be a way to stay within the rules for Molly to have a happy life with her family.”
Despite the Prime Minister’s intervention, the couple claimed in a post on Sunday that they had not heard anything directly.
“So far 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 attracted just under 130,000 signatures.
The couple claims they rescued Molly as a chick after he fell from his nest in 2020.
Initially thought by Mrs Wells that Molly was a woman, she is actually a man and the name stuck.
Videos of Molly playing with the couple’s two Staffies quickly gained traction on the internet and formed a loyal fan base.
“Juliette has a passion for photography and she posted some pictures of Molly having fun with the dogs, but we never expected this to go viral,” Mr Mortenson previously said.
The couple “voluntarily surrendered” Molly to DESI on March 1.
Queensland law prohibits the domestication of native wildlife due to the potential impact on wildlife.
Animals that are sick, orphaned or injured can only be rescued and cared for by those who hold a rehabilitation permit and intend to release them back into the wild.
However, the couple claim they did not care for Molly the way a pet owner might care for a cockatoo or parrot, but emphasized that the bird is free to fly around and forage for food.
Mrs Wells was first asked to surrender Molly six months ago when authorities visited her home, but she was unable to capture the bird as it was perched in a tree.
Previously, DESI said Molly could not fly like a normal magpie.
Mrs Wells took Molly home in 2020, believing it had been abandoned by her parents
“Unfortunately, he is highly habituated to human contact and cannot be released into the wild,” a DESI spokesperson said.
However, not everyone is in favor of Molly being sent back.
A wildlife keeper, who wished to remain anonymous, told 7NEWS.com.au the magpie ‘should not be returned’ home, despite huge online pressure for the reunion.
Another caregiver said there were strict laws they had to follow and their status as caregivers did not even guarantee their right to keep an animal.
“If one person is allowed to do this, what’s to stop every other Tom, Dick and Harry from keeping a magpie, a joey or a kangaroo in their backyard,” the caretaker told the publication.
Zookeepers who oppose the initiative to reunite Molly are reportedly receiving death threats and insulting comments.