A Miniature Dachshund Survived Sixteen Months Lost In The Wilderness On A Rugged Island
In November 2023, a miniature dachshund went missing during a vacation on a rugged Australian island. But 16 months after her disappearance, the tiny, eight-pound dog has been spotted alive, to the surprise of wildlife experts. So far, the wily pup has managed to avoid rescue efforts to bring her to safety.
The miniature dachshund, named Valerie, went missing while on a camping trip to Kangaroo Island, which is located off the coast of South Australia.
At the time, the dog was one year old. On the second day of the trip, her owners, Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock, decided to go fishing at a nearby beach.
They placed Valerie in a playpen with food and toys to keep her occupied while they were away. However, she escaped from the pen and hid underneath a parked car.
Other vacationers camping nearby tried to capture the dog, but she got spooked and ran away into the wilderness.
The couple spent the rest of their vacation searching for Valerie for a week with local residents. Unfortunately, they were unable to find her and had to leave the island to return to their lives in Broken Hill, New South Wales.
They assumed Valerie had no chance of surviving on her own in the wild, as the island was home to at least two venomous snake species, wedge-tailed eagles, and other predators. Even if she did somehow elude these threats, Valerie was a pampered pup who was not used to a life of hardship.
She wore sweaters in cold weather, got upset if she was left outside for too long, and loved to frequent cafes and shops with her owners.
“She never left my side. She was not a very outside, rough-and-tough dog,” said Gardner. “To think that she even spent one night outside in the rain, oh my gosh. To think that she’s gone a year and a half is incredible.”
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But about a year after Valerie’s disappearance, reports started coming in of a small dachshund wearing a pink collar on Kangaroo Island. The sightings were roughly nine miles from Stokes Bay, the area where Valerie had escaped.
The Kangala Wildlife Rescue confirmed her survival through video footage and set camera traps to try to catch her. However, the island is huge, and Valerie is quite skittish, fleeing at the first sign of humans or vehicles.
Although the dog is not exactly suited for the wild, she is extremely resilient and resourceful. Rescuers believe she is living off of roadkill and dam water. It is possible that she received help from locals, but more than likely, she has been making it on her own.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), dachshunds are “tireless hounds” and “brave to the point of rashness,” which explains Valerie’s survival skills. Hopefully, she can be reunited with her family soon.
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