Flap in Australia as Molly the magpie parted from best friend
A DECISION to confiscate a pet magpie which formed an unlikely bond with a Staffordshire bull terrier has caused uproar in Australia, with tens of thousands of people lobbying for the bird to be returned.
Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, from Queensland, found the magpie as a chick in a park four years ago and, worried that it would not survive, brought the bird home.
They named the magpie Molly and as it grew up it formed a strong bond with the couple’s bull terrier, Peggy.
For social media, it was a match made in heaven. Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen posted photographs showing Peggy and Molly lying on the carpet together, playing in a park and appearing to be the best of friends.
The unlikely companions have nearly two million followers on Instagram and Facebook. Ms Wells wrote a book called Peggy & Molly: Be Kind, Be Humble, Be Happy. But animal welfare experts objected to the arrangement, saying that it is illegal to take a bird from the wild without permission.
Molly was confiscated by officials from Queensland’s environment department earlier this week.
In a video that they posted online, Ms Wells and Mr Mortensen said they had been forced to surrender their beloved bird. A “small group of people” had complained about Molly living with them as a pet.
The confiscation of Molly has caused a furore, with more than 70,000 signing a petition calling for her to be returned to her human carers and Peggy the dog. “This is a classic example of bureaucracy over common sense and humanity,” one message read on Instagram.
Steven Miles, the premier of Queensland, has supported the calls for Molly to be reunited with Peggy. He said: “I think sometimes common sense needs to prevail. If you look at the story, there is a better outcome possible.”
Queensland’s environment department insisted that magpies should not be removed from the wild and kept as pets.