Pet dog still alive after 16 months missing on Australian island, rescuers searching for her

Pet dog survives for 16 months after running away on Australian island

After their small pet dog went missing on an Australian island, her owners went home heartbroken, assuming the worst.

However, they were amazed to find out that Valerie, a miniature dachshund, was still alive 16 months after she escaped.

Source: Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Facebook

Pet dog brought to Australian island in November 2023

Kangala Wildlife Rescue, an Australian non-profit, said on Facebook that dog owners Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock brought Valerie to Kangaroo Island in South Australia in November 2023.

Source: Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Facebook

During their holiday, Valerie escaped from her pen. She then got spooked when others tried to catch her and fled into the wilderness.

At the time, the dog wore a pretty pink collar and weighed less than 4kg.

Source: Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Facebook

Her owners searched Kangaroo Island with the help of locals but failed to find their pet.

After several days, the sad couple left the island, presuming that their dog would not be able to survive in the wild.

Pet dog seen on Australian island more than 12 months later

More than 12 months after Valerie’s disappearance, people began reporting sightings of a miniature dachshund with a pink collar about 15km from where she was last seen.

Source: Georgia Gardner via The Guardian

However, she runs away at the first sign of humans or vehicles and has evaded rescuers.

Thus, the slippery dog has been “impossible to catch” so far despite the best efforts of locals.

Rescue service continues to track down missing dog

This has not deterred Kangala’s volunteers, who said they were using surveillance and various methods to trap and lure Valerie as part of their “mission” to catch her and reunite her with her owners.

In another post on 28 March, a Kangala team member said they had finally seen her and she’s “looking really healthy”.

Due to the sighting, they also managed to narrow down her location, but she remained elusive.

Days later on 3 April, Kangala said that Valerie had been hiding out of sight for days due to harsh winds.

However, they managed to spot the missing pet within the rescue area once more, boosting volunteers’ morale.

Source: Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Facebook

Valerie remains at large, and Kangala urged anyone who wished to support the rescue to donate to the cause on their website.

Owner in disbelief at sighting

In an interview last month, Ms Gardner told The Guardian that she and Josh were in disbelief at the sightings of Valerie and initially hesitated to get their hopes up.

She did not expect the dog to survive this long, describing her as a “little princess” who had previously never left her side.

Thus, the idea of Valerie going out in the rain at night was surprising, let alone surviving in the wild for almost 1.5 years.

A professor from the University of Sydney’s veterinary school said dachshunds, like all dogs, are “extremely resourceful” and are also very effective at searching for food, adding:

Dogs are the greatest opportunists in the animal kingdom: That’s one of their core skills.

Also read: Pet dog in US runs more than 6km to get help for owner after his truck plunges into ravine

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Featured image adapted from Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Facebook.