In brief
Valerie, the brave dachshund who went missing on Kangaroo Island, was rescued after 529 days in the wild and is being readied for her reunion with her owners.
Valerie, a miniature dachshund, went missing in November 2023 after escaping from her pen on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. For a staggering 529 days, her whereabouts remained a mystery, even as locals reported occasional sightings. Thankfully, her adventure has come to a happy end as she was recently rescued and is safe. The rescue efforts were spearheaded by Jared Karran of Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who described the search as a “long tough battle.” Valerie’s owners, Josh Fishlock and Georgia Gardner, were vacationing on the island when she vanished. After five fruitless days of searching, they reluctantly accepted she may never return.More than a year later, Valerie was spotted about 10 miles from where she escaped, thanks in part to her identifiable pink collar. Rescuers believe she may have survived by drinking water from dams and munching on roadkill and plants, despite being described by Ms. Gardner as “not a very outside, rough-and-tough dog.” Now, Valerie is being reacclimated to her home life, paving the way for her touching reunion with her owners.
