Valerie, a miniature dachshund, has been reunited with her owners after being lost for 529 days on Kangaroo Island in Australia. The reunion occurred in April 2025, marking a happy ending to a long search.
Owner Georgia Gardner said Valerie approached her without hesitation upon being reunited by Kangala Wildlife Rescue. The initial separation happened in November 2023 when Valerie escaped from a fenced area while her owners were fishing.
The Rescue
Volunteers from Kangala Wildlife Rescue spotted Valerie in March 2025. She was finally captured on April 25, 2025, after volunteers spent an estimated 1,000 hours searching across 5,000 kilometers of the island.
Gardner and her partner, Josh Fishlock, will take Valerie back to their home in Albury, New South Wales. Gardner is working with a canine behavior specialist to help Valerie adjust to home life.