A decision to confiscate a pet magpie which formed an unlikely bond with a Staffordshire bull terrier has caused uproar in Australia, with tens of thousands of people lobbying for the bird to be ...

Catherine Chidgey’s disquieting, award-winning novel The Axeman’s Carnival explores the disintegrating relationship of a rural couple from the perspective of their pet magpie, Tama.

But questions were raised about the ethics of keeping an Australian magpie as a domestic pet. Earlier this year, the Department for Environment, Science and Innovation (Desi) said the magpie had ...

Catherine Chidgey’s disquieting, award-winning novel The Axeman’s Carnival explores the disintegrating relationship of a rural couple from the perspective of their pet magpie, Tama.