In dog years, way back to November 2023 might seem like a lifetime. To humans, however, at least those searching for their beloved pet, social media constantly reminds us not to give up. It was back then when an eight-pound miniature dachshund went missing on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Who would have guessed, after all this time, that a tiny dog, after eluding capture, has been spotted alive and healthy.
According to the Kangala Wildlife Rescue, the tiny dog named Valerie, who had been wearing a pretty pink leather collar, had been on vacation with her humans – Josh and Georgie. On the quiet island, the three enjoyed the white sand, the perfect weather and of course, each other.
While at Stokes Bay, Valerie, didn’t want to stay behind and escaped from her pen to follow her family. Good Samaritans tried to catch her, but she became frightened and fled into the bushes. Her devoted family searched the entire area for days; even the locals helped out, but Valerie was gone – there were no signs of her, and her family left the island truly heartbroken.
So let’s fast forward to one year later. Who would ever imagine a miniature dachshund could survive in the wild, but reports of a small dog matching Valerie’s description – including the pink collar, had been reported. No doubt, Valerie is alive, but she’s quite wild now, and at the first sign of a human, she dashes away. For a few months, she had disappeared again, but lately she’s been spotted. Now to capture her!
The dedicated volunteers from Kangala, in consultation with Valerie’s family, have set out on a mission to find and catch Valerie so she can be reunited with her family. Her owners are ready to welcome her home and provide her with any care she needs. They just want her home again.
How she has survived all this time is truly amazing, but dachshunds are extremely intelligent and resourceful dogs. Chances are she has been finding carrion including dead frogs, birds and other small animals. Had a human found her, they would have seen her pink collar and known she was someone’s pet. And had she been kept by a family, chances are she wouldn’t have been so skittish whenever a human would get close.
We are using surveillance and various trapping and luring methods in the area she was last seen to try and bring her home. This is a tiny dog in a huge area, and we will need help from the public to report any sightings and a lot of luck.
Everyone involved in the search for Valerie is hoping for an amazing outcome.
For those on Kangaroo Island, if you have any information about Valerie, please contact Kangala Wildlife Rescue on 0493257250 or email at [email protected].
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