The miniature dachshund survived more than a year on Kangaroo Island, a place full of wildlife.
WASHINGTON — A dachshund who had been missing for 529 days has been finally rescued.
Kangala Wildlife Rescue announced the successful rescue of Valerie, a miniature dachshund, on Friday in Australia. Valerie had gone missing on Kangaroo Island in late 2023 while her owners, Josh and Georgia, were vacationing in South Australia.
“After weeks of tireless efforts by Kangala Wildlife Rescue volunteers and partner organisations Valerie has been safely rescued and is fit and well,” the wildlife rescue said in a Facebook post. “We are absolutely thrilled and deeply relieved that Valerie is finally safe and able to begin her transition back to her loving parents, Josh and Georgia.”
Valerie had managed to escape from her pen in an attempt to follow her owners to the beach, but she “became scared and fled into the scrub,” according to the organization. Despite extensive search efforts by her owners and many locals, Valerie could not be found, leading to the family leaving the island without their beloved pet.
More than 12 months after she escaped, there were reports about a dachshund dog with a pink collar, much like the one Valerie was reportedly wearing at the time she went missing. Videos and personal accounts showed that Valerie was well and alive on the island, prompting for a rescue mission.
Kangala Wildlife Rescue sent volunteers to the island to help bring Valerie home. The organization used video cameras and various trapping methods to lure Valerie, but she seemed “impossible to catch.”
Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island and is known for its coastal sights and native wildlife.
“The search for Valerie involved over 1000 volunteer hours and more than 5000 km travelled by volunteers in their private vehicles, the deployment and monitoring of numerous cameras and traps and the use of various forms of technology to successfully secure Valerie while ensuring her physical and psychological welfare,” the wildlife rescue said on Facebook.
Kangala Wildlife Rescue later thanked all the volunteers “who offered their time, resources, and support during this demanding operation.”
“This rescue was a true testament to the dedication and perseverance of our team, the unwavering support of the community, and the power of collaboration. There were many challenging moments over the past month, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who played a part in bringing Valerie home,” the organization said.
Kangala Wildlife Rescue directors Jared and Lisa Karran said in a video update on Friday that a torn-up shirt worn by Valerie’s owner Georgia played a key role in luring the small dog. They added the ripped-up pieces of the shirt to the trap sites to create a scent trail for Valerie, Lisa Karran said.
“She was rummaging around, finding little food stashes all over the place. Then she went right to the back corner, which is where we wanted her,” Jared Karran said. “I pressed the button and thankfully it all worked perfectly. The remote dropped the door and that was all secured.”
On Monday, the wildlife rescue said gave an update on Valerie’s wellbeing following the rescue.
“Valerie is doing really well and settling back into home life better than we could have ever imagined and we are looking forward to seeing Josh and Georgia very soon when they come to pick up their little girl.”
