In brief
Valerie, a miniature dachshund, disappeared in November 2023 but has now been safely rescued after surviving in the wild for 529 days. Her owners are preparing for a heartfelt reunion.
Valerie, the adventurous dachshund who astonished locals and rescuers alike, has finally returned home after an astonishing journey of 529 days in the wild. This miniature dachshund vanished from her pen in November 2023, during a trip to the picturesque Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where she promptly slipped away into the dense bushland.For more than a year, Valerie eluded capture, with multiple sightings reported by concerned locals and surveillance cameras, but it wasn’t until recently that her fate changed. Rescuers did not lose hope and were ultimately successful in recapturing her, a feat that Jared Karran of Kangala Wildlife Rescue described as a "long tough battle." Valerie’s owners, Josh Fishlock and Georgia Gardner, faced heartbreak when they lost the pup, especially after an exhaustive five-day search yielded no results. Their worries eased during a recent encounter, as Valerie was spotted approximately 10 miles from her original escape zone—her distinct pink collar aiding in her identification.Remarkably, Valerie survived through an array of uncharacteristic experiences, reportedly drinking from freshwater dams and scavenging on local vegetation and roadkill. Karran spoke fondly of her resilience, noting her transition from a “not very outside, rough-and-tough dog” to a survivor of the wilderness. Now, with her journey reaching a joyful conclusion, Valerie is being carefully re-acclimated for a long-awaited reunion with her loving family.
