Experts ‘amazed’ at survival of Valerie the miniature dachshund – on the run on South Australian island for more than a year

[TootsieFootsie]

Experts ‘amazed’ at survival of Valerie the miniature dachshund – on the run on South Australian island for more than a year

Pet escaped from her pen when her owners were holidaying on Kangaroo Island, which is famous for its native wildlife

www.theguardian.com

A miniature dachshund that went missing 16 months ago on Kangaroo Island in South Australia has been spotted alive and well – but continues to evade a team of volunteer searchers and wildlife experts who say they are “amazed” the dog survived for so long in the wild.

“Based on first-hand accounts and video evidence, we now know that Valerie is alive,” Kangala Wildlife Rescue wrote on its Facebook page last week. “She runs at the first sign of humans or vehicles, and despite the best efforts of dedicated Island locals, Valerie has been impossible to catch.”

The dog was last seen 15km from where she went missing, according to the organisation.

It has now set up and is monitoring a series of traps with cameras in an attempt to coax the tiny dog out of a very large search area, Gardner told Guardian Australia.

 

[LoveyG]

Experts ‘amazed’ at survival of Valerie the miniature dachshund – on the run on South Australian island for more than a year

Pet escaped from her pen when her owners were holidaying on Kangaroo Island, which is famous for its native wildlife

www.theguardian.com

A miniature dachshund that went missing 16 months ago on Kangaroo Island in South Australia has been spotted alive and well – but continues to evade a team of volunteer searchers and wildlife experts who say they are “amazed” the dog survived for so long in the wild.

“Based on first-hand accounts and video evidence, we now know that Valerie is alive,” Kangala Wildlife Rescue wrote on its Facebook page last week. “She runs at the first sign of humans or vehicles, and despite the best efforts of dedicated Island locals, Valerie has been impossible to catch.”

The dog was last seen 15km from where she went missing, according to the organisation.

It has now set up and is monitoring a series of traps with cameras in an attempt to coax the tiny dog out of a very large search area, Gardner told Guardian Australia.

Awesome!

I didn't see it in the article, but, I hope her owners are planning to go back to help catch her. She might come to them.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

There is this bit

"She said she and Fishlock were in disbelief when they were given news that Valerie had been spotted alive.

“It’s been so crazy. Even with the really recent sightings, we were both just like, ‘No, don’t get your hopes up,’” she said.

“But, especially with the photograph that we got sent and with the confidence in Kangala Wildlife Rescue, now we’re just starting to edge to more like, ‘OK, how are we going to get to the island if we have to pick her up?’”

They live in Albury New South Wales, which is over a thousand miles from Kangaroo Island.
It's over a 12 hour drive to get there.
Maybe cost also might come into it, and maybe getting time off work etc.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I wonder what her favourite food was when she was a princess.
I'm hoping they tempt her with some unable to resist food

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Maybe it's her tiny size that has helped her survive, I think a larger dog would need a lot more food.

 

[slowpoke]

This is amazing!
I wonder what she has been subsisting on? What a resourceful little dog!
Are there people living there that could have been putting food out for her?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

So far no one has said they'd been feeding her, but that did come to my mind too.
Looked up the population and the last census was 2021. 4,894

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Oh my god! How cute!

Dogs can definitely survive in the wild. I lived in Borneo for a little over a year. We were over 3km from the nearest village. But every so often, a little dog would pop up, beg for food, and happily disappear into the jungle again!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

So far no one has said they'd been feeding her, but that did come to my mind too.
Looked up the population and the last census was 2021. 4,894

@TootsieFootsie I really hope we see a volunteer caravan of folks transporting Valerie back to her home... What fun for everyone.... And her owners can be at the end of the parade....

ohhh what fun.

(full disclosure... I was the mama of a number of little Doxie litters back in the day... so I will cheer on any fun with these fabulous little sweethearts..)

 

[TootsieFootsie]

You know what, I bet they get people who are travelling there, offer to bring her home.

I was just reading about the lack of predators on the island, no foxes etc.
That could also be a reason why little Valerie survived.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/03/27/missing-dog-australia-kangaroo-island-valerie/

Tiny dachshund survives 16 months on remote island but eludes rescuers​

Her owners call her a “princess.” But little Valerie has likely toughened up, says the wildlife group looking for her, living off roadkill and evading poisonous snakes.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Dachshund Lost on Australian Island Is Still Alive, but Elusive

A year after getting loose on Kangaroo Island, Valerie is still out there.

www.nytimes.com

28th March 2025

On Thursday, a man who identified himself as “Jared, one of the Kangala team members that’s involved in the rescue mission for Valerie,” offered a heartening update in a video update: “We have seen her. We’ve managed to narrow down the search area to one specific point.”

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[LadyL]

oh I so hope they can trap her and she gets to go home to her family

 

[TootsieFootsie]

A lucky rascal or a feral critter that ‘should be euthanised’? Hunt for Valerie the dachshund divides Kangaroo Island

Wildlife groups claim the resourceful miniature sausage dog was sighted again this week. But not everyone is on Team Valerie

www.theguardian.com

Some varying views re Valerie.

Some locals say she is feral, killing wildlife and should be euthanised

She has been eating the "treats" put out for her but they still haven't been able to catch her.

 

[Megnut]

A lucky rascal or a feral critter that ‘should be euthanised’? Hunt for Valerie the dachshund divides Kangaroo Island

Wildlife groups claim the resourceful miniature sausage dog was sighted again this week. But not everyone is on Team Valerie

www.theguardian.com

Some varying views re Valerie.

Some locals say she is feral, killing wildlife and should be euthanised

She has been eating the "treats" put out for her but they still haven't been able to catch her.

Feral???? Poor thing is in survival mode. If she's rescued successfully, she'll happily return to the ease and security of kibble.

I can't imagine she's significantly disrupting any ecosystem. I can't fathom support for euthanize a lost pup. Find it. Save it from the wild!

Note to "some locals": have a heart! She's a pet.

JMO

 

[TootsieFootsie]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/missing-sausage-dog-valerie-appears-on-kangaroo-island-cctv/news-story/6e739a9cc733d0d28b64fd51487d1d79?amp

Another pawsative sighting of Valerie, caught on camera.

Behind a paywall, I think. Posting it here for those who subscribe.

 

[dulcinea]

Being the owner of two mini dachshunds, I am not surprised in the least that she survived. They are fierce and feisty. Our two eat anything they can catch: gophers, lizards, mice. They are not afraid of anything and run ridiculously fast. Dachshunds were bred to hunter badgers.

 

[LadyL]

A lucky rascal or a feral critter that ‘should be euthanised’? Hunt for Valerie the dachshund divides Kangaroo Island

Wildlife groups claim the resourceful miniature sausage dog was sighted again this week. But not everyone is on Team Valerie

www.theguardian.com

Some varying views re Valerie.

Some locals say she is feral, killing wildlife and should be euthanised

She has been eating the "treats" put out for her but they still haven't been able to catch her.

of course she's killing wildlife - she's HUNGRY

 

[LadyL]

if they've narrowed the search area, have they set traps yet?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

They've put out food which she is taking.
I just assumed the food was in a trap cage but maybe not ?