Mini Dachshund Found Alive After 529 Days Lost in Australian Wilderness

An Australian miniature Dachshund named Valerie attained global attention after disappearing in November 2023 during a camping trip with her owners, Josh Fishlock and Georgia Gardner. Wildlife searchers announced late Friday that Valerie had been found alive and well after being missing for 529 days in the Australian wilderness. She was discovered on Kangaroo Island off South Australia and rescued by wildlife searchers. “We are absolutely thrilled and deeply relieved that Valerie is finally safe,” Kangala Wildlife Rescue said on Facebook, as reported by NBC News.

The incident occurred when the couple visited New South Wales, home to some of Australia’s best farmlands, beaches, and dense scrub. While holidaying at Stokes Bay, Valerie escaped her cage when the couple went on a fishing trip. She fled into the scrub, and despite the couple’s desperate search efforts, they feared she would never be found. In March, a photo surfaced showing the dog’s oversized ears peeking above paddock stubble, sparking speculation that she had been spotted.

Volunteers travelled more than 3,000 miles and spent over 1,000 hours searching in and around the island for Valerie. She was ultimately captured using prepared traps and CCTV cameras. The search team created a scent trail using pieces of the owners' clothing and Valerie’s toys, which helped lure her into the trap. In a TikTok video posted last night, the group said it was “overjoyed” to announce Valerie’s successful rescue, adding that she 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,” the group said in a statement, according to Metro UK.

The couple had assumed Valerie had died, as Kangaroo Island is home to venomous spiders and snakes, making her survival seem unlikely. Rescuers said catching her wasn’t easy because Valerie would flee at the first sign of vehicles or humans. They were “constantly competing with hundreds of wildlife like possums, wallabies, kangaroos, goannas, and feral cats,” which made the operation “not as easy as just baiting and setting traps,” as noted by NBC News.