Rizna Mutmainah
Legal

Legal battle could separate Molly the Magpie and carers again

Molly the Magpie and her friends Peggy and Ruby the Staffies captured hearts around the world with their unlikely friendship. 

In March, the trio were separated from each other, following complaints that his owners, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, didn't hold a wildlife permit. 

After 45 days apart, Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) granted them a licence with special conditions so Molly could return home to her adoptive family. 

But now their licence to keep Molly has been called into question, threatening to separate them again, according to A Current Affair

"Four years ago yesterday, when we came across a little magpie, who would have thought we'd be standing in front of the Supreme Court here in Brisbane," Wells said.

Mortensen and Wells don't even know who is challenging the Queensland government's decision to reunite the magpie with the family, as the wildlife support volunteer and magpie specialist chose to remain anonymous. 

"Molly's 100 per cent, and always has been, our focus, his well being... and we just want to just move on and just get over, get on with it," Mortensen said.

The applicant will stay anonymous as they contest the government's decision to grant them the licence to care for Molly. 

"Every time we're in the public sight and things like that, it raises awareness for people to get out there and try and do something to help wildlife and become involved," Mortensen added.

"That's what we want to try and do is get get as many people involved as we possibly can in helping wildlife."

Image: A Current Affair/ Instagram

Tags:
Legal, Molly the Magpie, Wildlife