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After 529 days on the run, Valerie the dachshund has finally been reunited with her owners.
The pooch spent nearly 18 months in the wild on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island after she went missing in November 2023.
Valerie escaped from her pen at owners Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock’s campsite before running into dense scrub.
After evading wildlife rescuers, she was eventually captured by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, where she has spent almost two weeks.
Now, she’s been reunited with her owners for the first time since she went missing.
‘It still doesn’t feel real’
On Tuesday, Valerie was reunited with Gardner and Fishlock, prompting plenty of happy tears and wagging tails.
“I was sitting on the ground when Lisa and Jared brought Valerie in, and she ran straight up to me — I just burst into tears,” Gardner said. “She was wagging her tail, making her little happy sounds, and wiggling around with joy. I held her and cried and cried.”
Gardner had brought Valerie’s old harness, which she could barely fit into.
“She’s stockier now, strong and healthy … healthier than we are, honestly,” she said.
Fishlock admitted he wasn’t sure if he would see his pup again.
“It was incredible — euphoric! We never thought we’d hold her again, and then suddenly, there she was. It still doesn’t feel real,” he said.
Valerie is now preparing for a long drive back to Albury, where she’ll meet a new family member — a dachshund named Dorothy. Source: Supplied
‘A miracle she survived’
According to the Kangala Wildlife Rescue, the search involved 1,000 hours spent by volunteers, 5,000km travelled in private cars and the use of various cameras, traps, and technologies.
Jared Karran, director of Kangala Wildlife Rescue, said: “We felt like we came to know Valerie through the camera.”
“But when we met her in person, she was just so much smaller than we imagined.
“If it was a miracle before that she’d survived — seeing her size — it’s just unbelievable that she was able to survive and thrive out there!”
Experts believe Valerie evaded predators, including eagles and snakes, and believed she lived on a diet of roadkill, native animals, and dam water.
Karran said it would be difficult to say goodbye to Valerie.
“It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to Valerie, but we know that she’ll be so well cared for and loved with Georgia and Josh. And if she ever feels like a Kangaroo Island getaway, she’s welcome here anytime!” he said.
Valerie will now enjoy a long road trip back to Albury, NSW, where she’ll reunite with her fur-siblings — Lucy the rescue cat and Mason the red heeler. She’ll also meet Dorothy, the family’s newest dachshund.
To support her transition back to suburban life, Valerie will meet with a dog behaviourist.
“Valerie’s separation anxiety played a big role in why she went missing, so we’ll be crate training her to provide a safe place to decompress,” Gardner said.
“We’re also keeping her on a raw food diet, considering her incredible condition when she was found.
“I hope Valerie’s story brings hope, joy and inspiration to anyone who’s ever lost a pet or going through a difficult time. If the smallest sausage dog can survive 529 days in the bush — you, too, can survive whatever life throws at you.”
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