Valerie, a long-haired miniature dachshund, is now back in the arms of her owners, at last. Needless to say, she spent an impressive 529 days on the lam! Valerie went missing on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, during a brief fishing trip taken by her owners, Josh Fishlock and Georgia Gardner. The beloved canine, described by Gardner as “an absolute princess who rides in a car seat and only wears the color pink,” has been safely rescued and is in good health.
Valerie’s disappearance was only two days into an extended maritime adventure envisioned to dream-filled Kangaroo Island. Her owners abandoned her in her pen, with her bed, water, and a snuffle mat full of goodies. Their thoughtful adventure didn’t stop there — they left her another dog toy as they went fishing for a half an hour. Gardner didn’t hesitate to reconsider their choice. With her dog bed, water, a snuffle mat stuffed with goodies, and another specialty dog toy, “we left her within her kennel. After all, it had been a huge day and we figured she’d be exhausted. Valerie made an unexpected escape.
The next five days would become a harrowing emotional experience for Fishlock and Gardner as they tried to help find their lost dog. Even with many good Samaritans spotting him, attempts by them to trap the little dachshund were not successful. Gardner shared the couple’s distress during the search: “We were crying, and we weren’t sleeping, and we weren’t eating very much, and it poured rain the whole time … Finally, we had to leave the island. We both needed to go back to our full-time jobs. It was supposed to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Kangala Wildlife Rescue immediately got involved to help, deploying traps and cameras in the area in hopes of catching Valerie. Their commitment was rewarded when, after a long search, Valerie was finally arrested. Jared Karran from Kangala Wildlife Rescue praised Valerie’s resilience, stating, “Valerie handled all of that quite well considering a dog that’s been out for so long.” Gardner marveled at Valerie’s survival: “It’s absolutely unbelievable that she has survived a year and a half out there in the wild, honestly.”
The rescue organization, Valor Animal Rescue, shared their excitement and gratitude at the outcome of this dramatic rescue.
“After weeks of tireless efforts … Valerie has been safely rescued and is fit and well. We are absolutely thrilled and deeply relieved that Valerie is finally safe and able to begin her transition back to her loving parents,” – Kangala Wildlife Rescue
Valerie’s family Owners of Valerie are so happy to be reunited with their furry friend. Gardner expressed the emotional journey they have been through: “She didn’t like being away from me at all … It’s just insane to think she’s been out there this long, surviving off instincts and probably eating roadkill and drinking water from dams.”
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