After Surviving the Wilderness for 529 Days, Valerie the Missing Dachshund Is Back Home with Her Family

The adventurous pup gained four pounds during her time in Kangaroo Island and returned home in ‘perfect health’

Valerie the wiener dog is finally back home with her owners after an unexpected wilderness adventure that lasted well over a year.

The 8-pound pup went missing in November 2023 on Kangaroo Island in Australia, which is known for its rugged terrain. Her owners, Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock, from Albury in New South Wales, were visiting the South Australian island when Valerie broke free from her pen.

A few months after Valerie went missing, Kangala Wildlife Rescue shared the family’s story, which helped make Valerie’s plight go viral and drum up volunteers to search for the pet. After 529 days of scouring the island and several Valerie sightings, the Kangala Wildlife Rescue and volunteers managed to capture the canine, ending the over-year-long search party.

“After weeks of tireless efforts by Kangala Wildlife Rescue volunteers and partner organizations, Valerie has been safely rescued and is fit and well,” the Kangala Wildlife Rescue organization shared alongside a video of Valerie post-rescue. “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.”

On Tuesday, May 6, Victor Vet, a local veterinary treatment center near Kangala Wildlife Rescue, cleared Valerie to return to her owners, noting that the pup was in “perfect health.”

“​​Big day out for little Valerie as she got the tick of approval from our friends at Victor Vet,” the rescue organization shared. “Valerie is in perfect health and ready for her parents and the next chapter of her life.”

The post continued, “After 529 days on foot, riding in the car was a little challenging, but after a gentle reintroduction and lots of little trips, she’s doing great and loved her window seat on the Sealink ferry. The long drive home should be a walk in the park for her now.”

In a statement to The Guardian, Gardner said that Valerie was “making her little happy sounds, and wiggling around with joy.” The happy owners also noticed that the pup had put on nearly four pounds, so the dog almost didn’t fit in her old harnesses. “She’s stockier now, strong and healthy,” said Gardner.

“No one thought a little dachshund like Valerie would survive alone in the wild, but more than 12 months after she went missing, regular reports started coming in about a dachshund with a pink collar being seen about 15 kilometres from Stokes Bay,” Kangala wrote in a Facebook post, championing the pet’s endurance.

While there’s no definitive answer as to how the small dog survived the wilderness alone that long, there are speculations. Some commenters of the viral post believe another local found and cared for the dog, hence the additional weight and shiny coat. Others are convinced that Valerie ate roadkill and other animals’ feces and drank from dams to survive.

Valerie cannot share tales from her adventures, but her owners, the Kangala Wildlife Rescue volunteers and partner organizations, are pleased that she’s back home safe and sound.