News of Molly the magpie and Peggy the Staffordshire bull terrier being separated has broken many hearts this week.
Molly and Peggy (pictured together above) had an unlikely friendship, which played out on social media since 2021.
Molly’s owner revealed in an Instagram post she voluntarily surrendered the bird to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) earlier this month.
“We are devastated to share this news with you: Molly has been surrendered to the Southern Wildlife Operations Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation.
“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?”
Why was Molly the magpie taken away?
The department said the magpie was “taken from the wild and kept unlawfully with no permit, licence or authority”.
How Molly met Peggy
In 2020, Juliette Wells from the Gold Coast stumbled upon Molly, a helpless Magpie chick lying on the ground, while walking with Peggy. Juliette tried to reunite Molly with her parents without success and took the bird home.
The bond between Peggy and Molly is remarkable; when she was first rescued, Peggy even began producing milk to nourish the Magpie.
Can you have a pet magpie in Australia?
Under Queensland law, a person must have a permit to take in a sick or injured animal.
Speaking to the ABC, a DESI spokesperson said, “Animals in rehabilitation must not associate with domestic animals due to the potential for them to be subjected to stress and the risks of behavioural imprinting and transmission of diseases.”
The magpie is currently under the care of DESI, and the case is still being investigated.
They added: “Unfortunately, it has been highly habituated to human contact and is not capable of being released back into the wild.”
“A process is underway to have the magpie placed at a suitable facility.”
Hero Image: Instagram/@peggyandmolly
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- What do you feed magpies
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