Followers Cry Fowl as Staffie Peggy and Magpie Molly, Separated

“Well, this just isn’t going to fly” is the sentiment expressed by the two million social media followers of a loveable pooch named Peggy and her feathered friend, magpie Molly.

Apparently, the unlikely duo became best buddies four years ago when abandoned chick Molly was discovered during a typical outing for Peggy and her human. COVID being in full swing resulted in a dog park filled with hyped-up pooches running full tilt, Peggy’s owner knew the little chick would never survive, so, home she came. And that’s where the magic happened.

Stocky Staffie Peggy took an immediate liking to the chick and over the course of the next several months, while her human cared for the bird, Peggy slowly fell in love. “We nurtured this magpie, taught him how to feed, fly and put him outside as much as possible because our goal was to get him back out into the wild.” says owner Juliette Wells. But that didn’t happen and the determined little bird simply refused to leave.

What to do during lockdown? Take lots of pix of your pets and post them to your social media accounts… and that’s just what pet parents Wells and partner Reece Mortensen did. It didn’t take long for the odd yet photogenic duo to gain a following… then, an even bigger following. Images of Peggy and Molly emblazoned t-shirts, calendars and a book deal inked with a major Australian publisher.

But that, as they say, is when the wheels came off the bus. Once Australian Wildlife officials got wind of the romance, they put the brakes on and seized the magpie. Per the Department of Science and Innovation (DESI) the bird had been “illegally” taken from the wild and been kept with “no permit, license or authority.”

But the fandom of Peggy and Molly pushed back and began an internet campaign to reunite the duo. Particularly since Molly Magpie could no longer be released back into the wild and would now be placed in a “facility” for the rest of her life. Note: magpies can live up to 30 years. Never! Retorted the millions of fans who then began a letter-writing campaign to their members of parliament.

Well, power to the people because as of this writing, Queensland’s premier has now thrown his support behind the campaign to reunite Molly with her family. Shortly thereafter, the DESI released a statement suggesting the campaign may have gained some serious traction.

According to a CNN source, bird expert and behavioral ecologist Darryl Jones of Griffith University in Queensland, this particular type of bird is both intelligent and sociable. “That animal now thinks it belongs to that family… It should go back to the people.” Right on!

Now let’s see that on a t-shirt!