Runaway Dachshund Missing for 529 Days on a Remote Island Is Finally Rescued

After nearly a year and a half of surviving life on a remote island in Australia surrounded by wild animals, Valerie, a miniature Dachshund weighing in at fewer than nine pounds, has been rescued. Valerie dodged nonstop rescue efforts for 529 days — until this week, when she was lured to safety by the scent of her guardian’s shirt.

Valerie went missing in November of 2023, when her pet parents went on vacation in Kangaroo Island, explained Kangala Wildlife Rescue, the nonprofit organization that eventually saved Valerie. Valerie got out of her pen and, when strangers tried to catch her, fearfully fled into the wilderness. Her guardians spent days searching for her, but they eventually had to leave the island without the pup.

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Over a year later, Kangaroo Island locals reported sightings of a tiny Dachshund with a pink collar. “Based on firsthand accounts and video evidence we now know that Valerie is alive,” Kangala Wildlife Rescue shared in March. “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 rescue set up traps, as well as surveillance technology to track Valerie’s movements. Volunteers spent the night at bait stations, hiding Valerie’s favorite treats and waiting for signs of the pup. Valerie’s fate was uncertain: She was living among wild animals like possums, kangaroos, wallabies, eagles, snakes, and feral cats. At times, the island experienced tough weather, and Valerie would lay low for days during rough winds. Through it all, the rescue team never lost hope.

Then, rescuers created a scent trail using scraps of Valerie’s guardian’s t-shirt and Valerie’s own toys. Valerie slowly followed the trail to an enclosure full of secured treats. Friday, she entered the enclosure, and the team was finally able to trap the Dachshund and transport her to safety.

In a video posted by Kangala Wildlife Rescue directors Jared and Lisa Karran, they explained that since Valerie had been in the wild for so long, she was in “survival mode” and needed time to re-adjust to interacting with humans. Lisa wore Valerie’s guardians t-shirt herself to the rescue site and sat with Valerie until she calmed. “Her mental health was one of the biggest components that we were worried about,” Lisa explained.

Eventually, Lisa was able to open the cage and offer Valerie roast chicken — her favorite food. Soon, Valerie was snuggling up on the volunteers’ laps. “I never would have thought that she would have settled like that and been sitting in someone’s lap after two or three hours,” Jared said. “It was pretty special to watch.”

Valerie is still being reintroduced to her ordinary life, and Kangala Wildlife Rescue is monitoring her behavior as she decompresses. In about a week, they expect that Valerie will be ready to go home to her pet parents. “She’s doing really, really well,” Jared said.  “Josh and Georgia are over the moon to have their little girl on the way home.”