If you’ve followed the adorable but unlikely friendship between Molly the magpie and Peggy the Staffordshire bull terrier, you would have been sad to see they were separated earlier this year.
The good news is that after 43 days of separation, the pair have been reunited and the Queensland family has shared their first photo since Molly was returned.
Taking to Instagram to share the happy snap of the Insta-famous bird reunited with pet dogs Peggy and Ruby and Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen (pictured below).
“WE HAVE THE BEST NEWS 💥 MOLLY IS HOME,” the caption reads. “We are overwhelmed with emotion right now. I have been visualising & looking forward to this day for what feels like a lifetime 😊
“When we arrived home, the Peggy & Ruby wiggly bottoms were in full force and a few excited noises from Molly.
“We are so grateful to you, our supporters, QLD Premier Steven Miles & the DESI for allowing us to get our licence & to be reunited with Molly again. We look forward to life settling back down to normal very soon.”
On Monday 15 April 2024, the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) announced Molly had been returned home.
In statement, the department said it “has approved a specialised licence and today returned ‘Molly’ the magpie to a couple who took it in as a nestling in 2020,’
“Independent expert veterinary advice has shown that Molly, who was surrendered to the department on 1 March, is highly habituated and may have developmental issues, meaning it can never be rehabilitated or returned to the wild.”
The statement added: “The decision to return Molly has been made in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act 1992, following extensive legal advice.
“The family demonstrated their willingness and ability to meet the conditions set out in the licence.”
“DESI has also required the family to undertake an advocacy and public education role to encourage people to appropriately care for native wildlife and acknowledge the specialist skills required to care for and rehabilitate wildlife.”
Molly was surrendered in March 2024
Molly’s owner revealed in an Instagram post that she voluntarily surrendered the bird to DESI on 1 March 2024.
“We are devastated to share this news with you: Molly has been surrendered to the Southern Wildlife Operations Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation,” pet owners Reece and Juliette wrote on Instagram.
“We are asking why a wild Magpie can’t decide for himself where he wants to live and who he wants to spend his time with?”
Molly and Peggy reunited
On April 10, Queensland Premier Steven Miles announced Molly would be returned to the family.
“I just wanted to share an update about Molly the magpie. I’ve spoken to Reece and Juliette and reassured them Molly is in great spirits and is receiving good care,” Miles said in a Facebook post about the Peggy and Molly account on Wednesday.
“This morning, the Department advised me that the couple could secure the appropriate licence. The team will work with them now to do that. It’s good news and means Molly can come home very soon. I want to thank everyone who has written to me to share their concerns and advocate for Molly’s return.”
“Words can’t describe how grateful and moved we are”
Following the good news, Reese and Juliette thanked everyone who has supported them during this difficult time.
“The messages, emails, phone calls, and thousands of signatures on petitions – the love, support, and sheer determination for a cause – are what you have done and kept us going. We have shown the world what can be achieved when we work together. We have shown the world that this can be achieved with persistence without aggression.
“Words can’t describe how grateful and moved we are to be sitting here writing this today.
“Our hearts are full of happiness after talking to the Premier yesterday. We want to thank QLD Premier Steven Miles for showing unity and humanity in taking this issue on.
“We will be speaking to the dept ( DESI ) today to finalise the next steps to bringing Molly home ❤️”
Conditions for Molly’s release
In a media release dated 11 April 2024, DESI listed the conditions for which Molly could be returned to his previous carer. Not only do they have to have the appropriate license and raining to home the magpie, but they also must adhere to these conditions:
- There is no ongoing commercial gain from the bird or its image.
- Undertaking wildlife carer training.
- Advocating public education to encourage people to appropriately care for native wildlife and acknowledging the specialist skills required to care for and rehabilitate wildlife.
- Ongoing engagement with DESI ensures the bird receives adequate care and enrichment.
DESI has also expressed, “Independent expert veterinary advice has shown that Molly is highly habituated and may have developmental issues, meaning it can never be rehabilitated or returned to the wild.”
