Right now it seems like all of Australia is waiting to hear if Molly the magpie will be returned to the Gold Coast couple whose dog he befriended.
The magpie was taken away from the home of Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen by Queensland wildlife officials after complaints that the bird was being kept illegally.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Molly the magpie family shares touching new video.
Newsletters: Our top lifestyle news direct to your inbox. Subscribe now
Peggy and Molly had accrued quite the following on Instagram thanks to their unusual interspecies friendship, so news that the pair had been separated sparked widespread outrage and calls for the bird to be returned.
As the family awaits a decision from the environment department, the duo’s fans continue to beg for any news or updates.
On Wednesday, the family posted a touching tribute video showing the unique bond shared between Molly and their pet pooches.
“The echo of a magpie song is imprinted in the walls,” the video was captioned.
“Life is so quiet without you.
“We Love you, We miss you, We look forward to the day we are reunited again.”
The video shows Peggy and Molly hanging out, both lying on their backs and facing each other, spending time together in the garden, and playing tug of war with a piece of string.
Other footage shows Peggy and Ruby doing some window sunbaking as Molly sits on Peggy’s back.
In one segment, Molly rustles about under a dozing Peggy’s ear, but Peggy doesn’t seem to mind.
The dog is incredibly gentle with Molly, even when using her paws to play with the bird.
Followers loved the video, which gave a fresh insight into how much these two creatures seem to enjoy each others’ company.
“I hope you are all together real soon,” one follower wrote.
“You all have the support of the world! This will work out,” another fan said.
“We all miss Molly and can’t wait to see this beautiful boy back with his family causing mischief!” a third added.
“We just need to get through all this bureaucratic nonsense first to satisfy the pencil pushers!
“Stay strong, he will be coming home to you.”
On Tuesday, Wells revealed that the environment department had finally contacted the family with a welfare update on Molly after they had spent several days in the dark about how the bird was faring.
“Molly is doing very well. He is happy and he is healthy,” Wells said, adding they would receive another update this week regarding permits.
“We don’t definitely know we’re going to get him back but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The department said it was working with the family for the best outcome for Molly.
“The department has contacted the couple to assure them that Molly is being well cared for and that options are being examined for the bird’s future care,” the spokesperson said.
“Our priority is the ongoing welfare of the magpie, and the bird is safe, undergoing rehabilitation and has full access to veterinary care.”
The family later posted an “exciting” update to Instagram after Queensland Premier Steven Miles weighed in on the subject, calling on authorities to help the couple secure the proper wildlife permits.
“After contacting the office of the QLD Premier Steven Miles we received a long-awaited phone call from someone who works closely with the Director General of the Department of Environment, Science & Innovation (DESI),” they wrote.
“To say we are relieved is an understatement.
“We weren’t given too much detail but we were assured that DESI are currently looking at options to proceed with what the Premier had suggested & the legalities of the situation is not an easy fix and it’s a process through legal frameworks.
“We will be contacted again by the end of the week with the process and updates.
“We asked how Molly was? We were told he was healthy, happy and in good spirits.
“We weren’t told of his location to protect his safety.
“Stay positive, keep focused on the best outcome and NEVER give up on this noisy little magpie.”
The Molly and Peggy saga
In case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s the backstory.
Molly the magpie was rescued by the Gold Coast couple in 2020 after the bird apparently fell from his nest in a nearby park.
A surprising friendship blossomed between Molly and their Staffordshire bull terriers Peggy and Ruby, which Wells began documenting on social media, showing the trio cuddling, playing together and even the magpie barking like a pup.
However several complaints to DESI over the animal friendship led to the family having to surrender Molly in March.
The couple said they had been unable to obtain the right wildlife care permit due to their social media presence, with more than 785,000 followers on Instagram.
It has been a stressful time for the pair and their dogs, who are unsure why their feathered friend is no longer flying through the home and playing with them.
“Whenever they hear birds in the backyard, they’ll run out to see if it is Molly,” Wells said.
“Peggy is clingy and depressed as well.”
Molly is currently in the department’s care as it looks for a suitable facility for the bird, which is too domesticated to be released back into the wild.
However, the bird was not caged and was free to come and go as he pleased.
The department said in a statement last week that Molly was allegedly “taken from the wild and kept unlawfully, with no permit, licence or authority”.
“To keep a native animal that originates from the wild, a person must have a permit, licence or authority to lawfully have the animal in their possession,” the department said.
“Animals that are sick, orphaned or injured must go to a person who holds a valid rehabilitation permit, which are issued to people who have demonstrated skills, knowledge and experience dealing with and caring for native animals.
“The purpose of rehabilitating native wildlife is to provide care so that the animal can be released back to the wild.
“When an animal is being rehabilitated, it must be done in a way that minimises humanisation and allows it to exhibit natural instincts and behaviour.”
A petition to return the magpie to their home has gained more than 50,000 signatures.
But one wildlife carer who spoke to 7NEWS.com.au said officials had done the right thing by removing Molly — and perhaps should have done it sooner to stop the bird becoming domesticated.
“At the end of the day, if one person is allowed to do this, what’s stopping every other Tom, Dick and Harry from keeping a pet magpie, a joey or having a kangaroo hopping around in their backyard,” the carer said.
“We have laws we have to follow as carers, where even carers are not allowed to keep an animal automatically.”
The carer also said Wells and Mortensen should have surrendered Molly to the vet as soon as they found him.