A Sausage Dog’s Great Escape
Valerie, a miniature dachshund from Albury, NSW, vanished while holidaying with her owners on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island back in November 2023. The tiny pup slipped from her pen at the Stokes Bay campsite and darted into the dense bushland, kicking off a mystery that would span well over a year.
Despite frantic efforts from her owners, Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock, and the support of local islanders, Valerie seemed to vanish without a trace.
Surviving the Elements
Now, more than 16 months later, Valerie has been spotted alive and looking remarkably healthy. Camera traps and eyewitness accounts confirm she’s still roaming the island, albeit elusively. Wildlife experts from Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who have taken over the search, are stunned at her survival.
“We now know Valerie is alive,” the group confirmed on social media. “She bolts at the first sight of humans or vehicles. Despite incredible efforts by dedicated locals, she remains impossible to catch.”
Experts say it’s nothing short of a miracle that such a small, pampered pet has endured the island’s wild terrain. Gardner described Valerie as a “little princess” who never strayed far from their side before the escape. She thought the dog might have been taken in by someone or befriended by other animals, but the new footage confirms Valerie has been going it alone.
Traps, Hope, and a Possible Reunion
The rescue group has now deployed cameras and humane traps across a wide area in hopes of finally bringing Valerie home. One image taken recently shows her just 15km from the original campsite. The couple is now mentally preparing for a possible dash back to Kangaroo Island if they get the call.
“Even with the new sightings, we didn’t want to get our hopes up,” said Gardner. “But now we’re thinking: how do we get there if we need to go get her?”
