Latest news with #KangalaWildlifeRescue
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Adorable Miniature Dachshund Lost in Australian Wilderness Finally Found After 529 Days
Adorable Miniature Dachshund Lost in Australian Wilderness Finally Found After 529 Days originally appeared on PetHelpful. Finally. Some (really) good news! In November 2023, Valerie, a miniature dachshund, went missing while on a camping trip to Kangaroo Island, a remote island in southern Australia. Much to the dismay of her owners Josh Fishlock and Georgia Gardner, Valerie ran away from their campsite and into the Australian wilderness. While Valerie was microchipped and also had an Apple AirTag on her collar, a days-long search between Valerie's owners and local community members turned up empty. And so, Fishlock and Gardner had no choice but to return home to mainland Australia without their beloved pup. In an interview with NPR, Fishlock said leaving the island without Valerie was the "hardest decision I think I've ever made in my life." 🐾 🐾 That said, the couple still hoped someone would find Valerie and they'd be able to bring her home. Months went by and the chance that Valerie might not ever return home became more and more in February 2025, their lost hope was reignited when Valerie was spotted by a Kangaroo Island farmer. The farmer took a photo of the tiny dog running through fields and this photograph eventually made its way to Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who began a massive search effort to catch Valerie and bring her home. The search efforts went viral on social media and the Internet anxiously hoped for an announcement of Valerie's safe rescue. Then, on April 25, 2025, Kangala Wildlife Rescue announced the news everyone was waiting for: Valerie was rescued! The wildlife rescue shared the news on a post on Facebook, explaining the mass effort that went into the rescue: "The search for Valerie involved over 1000 volunteer hours and more than 5000 km travelled by volunteers in their private vehicles, the deployment and monitoring of numerous cameras and traps and the use of various forms of technology to successfully secure Valerie while ensuring her physical and psychological welfare," they said. A key component of the rescue was a smelly t-shirt. According to CNN, this t-shirt was worn by her owners in 12-hour shifts and then ripped up and used as a scent trail to coax Valerie into the enclosure. Valerie is now safe and sound back home with her owners. Gardner and Fishlock told NPR that Valerie settled right back in, which is such a relief to Miniature Dachshund Lost in Australian Wilderness Finally Found After 529 Days first appeared on PetHelpful on Jun 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Do dogs need people to survive? The truth might hurt.
In late April, a miniature dachshund named Valerie was found healthy and alert on Kangaroo Island, just off the coast of Adelaide, Australia—after she had been missing for 529 days. Surprisingly, Valerie, who had become separated from her family during a vacation to the island in November 2023, had even gained about four pounds in the wild. 'She went out as a skinny little sausage dog and came back as a rippling mass of muscle,' says Jared Karran, a director at the nonprofit Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who released footage of Valerie's rescue. 'Just the healthiest dog you'd ever want to see—perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect skin.' During her time in the bush, Valerie became somewhat of a celebrity, and fans rejoiced when they learned she had reunited with her family in May. But some wondered how she did it. Was she just lucky, or can pet dogs—animals that have lived and evolved alongside humans for thousands of years—really survive without us? Well, it depends on who you ask. 'I don't think that [the story] is that outrageously surprising or amazing,' says Jessica Pierce, a bioethicist who focuses on the human-animal relationship. Pierce wrote 'A Dog's World,' which delves into what might happen to dogs if humans disappeared from Earth. 'It is amazing that she did this because she lived the first part of her life as a pampered pet dog, so really hadn't developed the skills that she would have needed to survive on her own,' Pierce clarifies. 'But obviously those were instinctually intact.' Vanessa Woods, the director of the Duke Puppy Kindergarten at the Duke Canine Cognition Lab, and author of 'Genius of Dogs,' isn't so sure. 'I have a dog right now who would probably not last a minute in the wild,' she says, adding that she believes some dogs would adapt while others would sit and wait for their owners to rescue them. 'I think some dogs would be great and some dogs would die.' Pierce and Woods agree that certain characteristics would make an individual dog more apt to survive without people. First off, Valerie would have needed a pretty high IQ to protect herself from predators, secure food and water, and shelter herself from the elements, Pierce says. 'Figuring those things out in a new environment is something a lot of humans would find challenging,' she adds. Luckily, there probably weren't any large predators for Valerie to deal with on Kangaroo Island, Woods says, but she likely would have had to dodge serpents like the venomous tiger snake and pygmy copperhead. 'She kind of had a natural aptitude,' surmises the Australian-born Woods. 'But then she also would have gotten lucky because let me tell you, there are parts of the Australian bush where she would have lasted about two days.' In most places, dogs with stronger hunting drives would generally fare better, Woods says. For instance, a Jack Russell terrier that's been bred and trained to use this skill regularly would be more successful than a show husky that hasn't honed the art of catching prey, she notes. 'You don't really want dogs to hunt and kill every living thing in your neighborhood, including a neighbor's cat,' she says. 'So there would be some dogs [where] the skills that would help them survive have been watered down, really bred out of them.' However, Pierce emphasizes that these instincts have never truly disappeared. 'Even a pet dog who's never had to hunt for food, but always just had a bowl of kibble placed in front of her twice a day, still knows how to hunt,' she says. 'Those instincts are still there.' Dogs bred for extreme traits, such as short legs or long or large bodies, might not do well either, Pierce hypothesizes. For instance, it's generally harder for short-legged dogs like dachshunds to run long distances. Plus, these extreme traits can eventually lead to genetic health issues like hip dysplasia and chronic pain, she says. On the other hand, smaller dogs like Valerie could have more of an advantage in some settings, Pierce adds. 'They're not going to be quite as visible and easy to spot for a predator,' she says. Plus, small dogs need fewer calories and could potentially survive on small insects like grasshoppers instead of relying on taking down larger prey, she explains. In general, dogs also possess a few traits helpful to wilderness survival. For instance, they 'can and will eat anything they can get their paws on,' Pierce notes. Plus, their behavior is flexible, making them more adaptable to new environments and situations. But Valerie's success could have also come down to personality. 'It's hard to put your finger on exactly what it is about her, but she obviously has this belief in herself,' Karran says. 'Nothing seems to faze her.' Stray dogs, which number around 200 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, live fairly independent of humans. 'A relatively small slice of the world's dogs live as pets, as captive animals,' Pierce says, noting that stray dogs use their instinct to survive in the wild. But Woods says life isn't easy for these free-ranging pups. For one, young strays have a high mortality rate—one study from India found that only about 19 percent made it to reproductive age (which is generally around 6 months old). Still, Pierce believes that if humans disappeared from the planet tomorrow, dogs would do just fine. 'Dogs would have a pretty good shot because of how adaptive they are,' she says. 'They'd have, I would say, as good a shot as any other animal in making it without us.' Woods questions, though, how long they would make it without our waste to pick at. After all, early dogs survived by scavenging trash around human settlements, and that's how most feral dogs make it today. 'The last 14 to 40,000 years, that's what they've been surviving on, basically,' she says. But regardless of whether dogs could survive without us, would these social animals miss our companionship? 'I think a lack of any social interaction would probably be felt as something missing,' Pierce says. 'I'm not sure there would be loneliness, but there might be.' However, she says dogs don't need humans to meet their social quota. They can also bond with other dogs and even other animals. Still, 'your dog who's curled up next to the couch with you would certainly miss you,' she says. 'But dogs as a species…would be okay without us.' This paradox might be best summed up by the way Valerie—a dog who did just fine for herself in the wild for nearly a year and a half—warmed up to her family immediately during their reunion. 'It just took a split second and you could see her recognize each one individually,' Karran says. 'She was so happy; she jumped up on them licking them, cuddling them, running around. It was just such a beautiful moment.'
National Geographic
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Do dogs need people to survive? The truth might hurt.
A miniature dachshund survived in the wild for 529 days. Could your dog? Experts say it depends on these traits. A group of dogs greets their human family on a farm. Photograph by Kendrick Brinson, Nat Geo Image Collection In late April, a miniature dachshund named Valerie was found healthy and alert on Kangaroo Island, just off the coast of Adelaide, Australia—after she had been missing for 529 days. Surprisingly, Valerie, who had become separated from her family during a vacation to the island in November 2023, had even gained about four pounds in the wild. 'She went out as a skinny little sausage dog and came back as a rippling mass of muscle,' says Jared Karran, a director at the nonprofit Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who released footage of Valerie's rescue. 'Just the healthiest dog you'd ever want to see—perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect skin.' During her time in the bush, Valerie became somewhat of a celebrity, and fans rejoiced when they learned she had reunited with her family in May. But some wondered how she did it. Was she just lucky, or can pet dogs—animals that have lived and evolved alongside humans for thousands of years—really survive without us? Well, it depends on who you ask. From scuba diving to set-jetting 'I don't think that [the story] is that outrageously surprising or amazing,' says Jessica Pierce, a bioethicist who focuses on the human-animal relationship. Pierce wrote 'A Dog's World,' which delves into what might happen to dogs if humans disappeared from Earth. 'It is amazing that she did this because she lived the first part of her life as a pampered pet dog, so really hadn't developed the skills that she would have needed to survive on her own,' Pierce clarifies. 'But obviously those were instinctually intact.' Vanessa Woods, the director of the Duke Puppy Kindergarten at the Duke Canine Cognition Lab, and author of 'Genius of Dogs,' isn't so sure. 'I have a dog right now who would probably not last a minute in the wild,' she says, adding that she believes some dogs would adapt while others would sit and wait for their owners to rescue them. 'I think some dogs would be great and some dogs would die.' Children play with puppies outside the town visitor center in Seymour, Indiana. Photograph by Andrea Bruce, Nat Geo Image Collection Pierce and Woods agree that certain characteristics would make an individual dog more apt to survive without people. First off, Valerie would have needed a pretty high IQ to protect herself from predators, secure food and water, and shelter herself from the elements, Pierce says. 'Figuring those things out in a new environment is something a lot of humans would find challenging,' she adds. Luckily, there probably weren't any large predators for Valerie to deal with on Kangaroo Island, Woods says, but she likely would have had to dodge serpents like the venomous tiger snake and pygmy copperhead. 'She kind of had a natural aptitude,' surmises the Australian-born Woods. 'But then she also would have gotten lucky because let me tell you, there are parts of the Australian bush where she would have lasted about two days.' In most places, dogs with stronger hunting drives would generally fare better, Woods says. For instance, a Jack Russell terrier that's been bred and trained to use this skill regularly would be more successful than a show husky that hasn't honed the art of catching prey, she notes. 'You don't really want dogs to hunt and kill every living thing in your neighborhood, including a neighbor's cat,' she says. 'So there would be some dogs [where] the skills that would help them survive have been watered down, really bred out of them.' However, Pierce emphasizes that these instincts have never truly disappeared. 'Even a pet dog who's never had to hunt for food, but always just had a bowl of kibble placed in front of her twice a day, still knows how to hunt,' she says. 'Those instincts are still there.' Dogs bred for extreme traits, such as short legs or long or large bodies, might not do well either, Pierce hypothesizes. For instance, it's generally harder for short-legged dogs like dachshunds to run long distances. Plus, these extreme traits can eventually lead to genetic health issues like hip dysplasia and chronic pain, she says. On the other hand, smaller dogs like Valerie could have more of an advantage in some settings, Pierce adds. 'They're not going to be quite as visible and easy to spot for a predator,' she says. Plus, small dogs need fewer calories and could potentially survive on small insects like grasshoppers instead of relying on taking down larger prey, she explains. In general, dogs also possess a few traits helpful to wilderness survival. For instance, they 'can and will eat anything they can get their paws on,' Pierce notes. Plus, their behavior is flexible, making them more adaptable to new environments and situations. But Valerie's success could have also come down to personality. 'It's hard to put your finger on exactly what it is about her, but she obviously has this belief in herself,' Karran says. 'Nothing seems to faze her.' So, do dogs need us? Stray dogs, which number around 200 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, live fairly independent of humans. 'A relatively small slice of the world's dogs live as pets, as captive animals,' Pierce says, noting that stray dogs use their instinct to survive in the wild. But Woods says life isn't easy for these free-ranging pups. For one, young strays have a high mortality rate—one study from India found that only about 19 percent made it to reproductive age (which is generally around 6 months old). Still, Pierce believes that if humans disappeared from the planet tomorrow, dogs would do just fine. 'Dogs would have a pretty good shot because of how adaptive they are,' she says. 'They'd have, I would say, as good a shot as any other animal in making it without us.' Woods questions, though, how long they would make it without our waste to pick at. After all, early dogs survived by scavenging trash around human settlements, and that's how most feral dogs make it today. 'The last 14 to 40,000 years, that's what they've been surviving on, basically,' she says. But regardless of whether dogs could survive without us, would these social animals miss our companionship? 'I think a lack of any social interaction would probably be felt as something missing,' Pierce says. 'I'm not sure there would be loneliness, but there might be.' However, she says dogs don't need humans to meet their social quota. They can also bond with other dogs and even other animals. Still, 'your dog who's curled up next to the couch with you would certainly miss you,' she says. 'But dogs as a species…would be okay without us.' This paradox might be best summed up by the way Valerie—a dog who did just fine for herself in the wild for nearly a year and a half—warmed up to her family immediately during their reunion. 'It just took a split second and you could see her recognize each one individually,' Karran says. 'She was so happy; she jumped up on them licking them, cuddling them, running around. It was just such a beautiful moment.'
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Heartwarming reunion: former Maitland man reunited with Valerie after 529 days in the wild
In a reunion of the ages, Valerie the Dachshund has returned to her Albury home, 540 days after going missing on South Australia's Kangaroo Island. Former Maitland man Josh Fishlock and partner Georgia Gardner never thought they would get the chance to hold Valerie again when the one-year-old pup escaped from her pen in November 2023. "We left Kangaroo Island thinking we might never see Valerie again," Josh said. Josh, a former St Joseph's Lochinvar student and Aberglasslyn resident, moved to Albury when he was transferred with the NSW police force. Valerie was found on April 25, miraculously fit and well after nearly 18 months on her own on the island. The now almost three-year-old Dachshund was rescued by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, a not-for-profit wildlife rescue service. Josh and Georgia's reunion with Valerie earlier this month is an emotional moment they'll never forget. "Georgia sat in there first on the ground and they brought Val in and she just bolted straight up to Georgia and jumped all over her," Josh said. "I was balling my eyes out," Georgia added. Georgia had brought Valerie's old harness to their reunion, but said Valerie could barely fit into it anymore. "She's in absolutely immaculate condition and she's gained 1.8 kilos of lean muscle mass," she said. Prior to Valerie's capture, Josh and Georgia had been receiving messages of potential sightings of the Dachshund. "It wasn't until someone was able to get a photo that we knew she was still alive," Georgia said. Georgia said Kangala Wildlife Rescue had been absolutely vital in bringing Valerie home. "Without them, she simply wouldn't be coming home," she said. "They put hundreds of hours into planning and executing her safe capture, sacrificing their time, sleep, work and privacy out of genuine care and love for Valerie and us." Since being home, Valerie has also been reunited with her fur-siblings, Lucy the rescue cat, Mason the Red Heeler, and met Dorothy, the family's newest Dachshund addition for the first time. "Valerie's separation anxiety played a big role in why she went missing, so we'll be crate training her to provide a safe place to decompress," Georgia said. "We're also keeping her on a raw food diet, considering her incredible condition when she was found." Josh and Georgia never planned to return to Kangaroo Island after they lost Valerie, however, Josh said they've since booked in yearly holidays. Valerie's story of survival is a message of hope and Georgia said she hopes people can find inspiration from it. "If the smallest sausage dog can survive 529 days in the bush, you, too, can survive whatever life throws at you," she said. In a reunion of the ages, Valerie the Dachshund has returned to her Albury home, 540 days after going missing on South Australia's Kangaroo Island. Former Maitland man Josh Fishlock and partner Georgia Gardner never thought they would get the chance to hold Valerie again when the one-year-old pup escaped from her pen in November 2023. "We left Kangaroo Island thinking we might never see Valerie again," Josh said. Josh, a former St Joseph's Lochinvar student and Aberglasslyn resident, moved to Albury when he was transferred with the NSW police force. Valerie was found on April 25, miraculously fit and well after nearly 18 months on her own on the island. The now almost three-year-old Dachshund was rescued by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, a not-for-profit wildlife rescue service. Josh and Georgia's reunion with Valerie earlier this month is an emotional moment they'll never forget. "Georgia sat in there first on the ground and they brought Val in and she just bolted straight up to Georgia and jumped all over her," Josh said. "I was balling my eyes out," Georgia added. Georgia had brought Valerie's old harness to their reunion, but said Valerie could barely fit into it anymore. "She's in absolutely immaculate condition and she's gained 1.8 kilos of lean muscle mass," she said. Prior to Valerie's capture, Josh and Georgia had been receiving messages of potential sightings of the Dachshund. "It wasn't until someone was able to get a photo that we knew she was still alive," Georgia said. Georgia said Kangala Wildlife Rescue had been absolutely vital in bringing Valerie home. "Without them, she simply wouldn't be coming home," she said. "They put hundreds of hours into planning and executing her safe capture, sacrificing their time, sleep, work and privacy out of genuine care and love for Valerie and us." Since being home, Valerie has also been reunited with her fur-siblings, Lucy the rescue cat, Mason the Red Heeler, and met Dorothy, the family's newest Dachshund addition for the first time. "Valerie's separation anxiety played a big role in why she went missing, so we'll be crate training her to provide a safe place to decompress," Georgia said. "We're also keeping her on a raw food diet, considering her incredible condition when she was found." Josh and Georgia never planned to return to Kangaroo Island after they lost Valerie, however, Josh said they've since booked in yearly holidays. Valerie's story of survival is a message of hope and Georgia said she hopes people can find inspiration from it. "If the smallest sausage dog can survive 529 days in the bush, you, too, can survive whatever life throws at you," she said. In a reunion of the ages, Valerie the Dachshund has returned to her Albury home, 540 days after going missing on South Australia's Kangaroo Island. Former Maitland man Josh Fishlock and partner Georgia Gardner never thought they would get the chance to hold Valerie again when the one-year-old pup escaped from her pen in November 2023. "We left Kangaroo Island thinking we might never see Valerie again," Josh said. Josh, a former St Joseph's Lochinvar student and Aberglasslyn resident, moved to Albury when he was transferred with the NSW police force. Valerie was found on April 25, miraculously fit and well after nearly 18 months on her own on the island. The now almost three-year-old Dachshund was rescued by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, a not-for-profit wildlife rescue service. Josh and Georgia's reunion with Valerie earlier this month is an emotional moment they'll never forget. "Georgia sat in there first on the ground and they brought Val in and she just bolted straight up to Georgia and jumped all over her," Josh said. "I was balling my eyes out," Georgia added. Georgia had brought Valerie's old harness to their reunion, but said Valerie could barely fit into it anymore. "She's in absolutely immaculate condition and she's gained 1.8 kilos of lean muscle mass," she said. Prior to Valerie's capture, Josh and Georgia had been receiving messages of potential sightings of the Dachshund. "It wasn't until someone was able to get a photo that we knew she was still alive," Georgia said. Georgia said Kangala Wildlife Rescue had been absolutely vital in bringing Valerie home. "Without them, she simply wouldn't be coming home," she said. "They put hundreds of hours into planning and executing her safe capture, sacrificing their time, sleep, work and privacy out of genuine care and love for Valerie and us." Since being home, Valerie has also been reunited with her fur-siblings, Lucy the rescue cat, Mason the Red Heeler, and met Dorothy, the family's newest Dachshund addition for the first time. "Valerie's separation anxiety played a big role in why she went missing, so we'll be crate training her to provide a safe place to decompress," Georgia said. "We're also keeping her on a raw food diet, considering her incredible condition when she was found." Josh and Georgia never planned to return to Kangaroo Island after they lost Valerie, however, Josh said they've since booked in yearly holidays. Valerie's story of survival is a message of hope and Georgia said she hopes people can find inspiration from it. "If the smallest sausage dog can survive 529 days in the bush, you, too, can survive whatever life throws at you," she said. In a reunion of the ages, Valerie the Dachshund has returned to her Albury home, 540 days after going missing on South Australia's Kangaroo Island. Former Maitland man Josh Fishlock and partner Georgia Gardner never thought they would get the chance to hold Valerie again when the one-year-old pup escaped from her pen in November 2023. "We left Kangaroo Island thinking we might never see Valerie again," Josh said. Josh, a former St Joseph's Lochinvar student and Aberglasslyn resident, moved to Albury when he was transferred with the NSW police force. Valerie was found on April 25, miraculously fit and well after nearly 18 months on her own on the island. The now almost three-year-old Dachshund was rescued by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, a not-for-profit wildlife rescue service. Josh and Georgia's reunion with Valerie earlier this month is an emotional moment they'll never forget. "Georgia sat in there first on the ground and they brought Val in and she just bolted straight up to Georgia and jumped all over her," Josh said. "I was balling my eyes out," Georgia added. Georgia had brought Valerie's old harness to their reunion, but said Valerie could barely fit into it anymore. "She's in absolutely immaculate condition and she's gained 1.8 kilos of lean muscle mass," she said. Prior to Valerie's capture, Josh and Georgia had been receiving messages of potential sightings of the Dachshund. "It wasn't until someone was able to get a photo that we knew she was still alive," Georgia said. Georgia said Kangala Wildlife Rescue had been absolutely vital in bringing Valerie home. "Without them, she simply wouldn't be coming home," she said. "They put hundreds of hours into planning and executing her safe capture, sacrificing their time, sleep, work and privacy out of genuine care and love for Valerie and us." Since being home, Valerie has also been reunited with her fur-siblings, Lucy the rescue cat, Mason the Red Heeler, and met Dorothy, the family's newest Dachshund addition for the first time. "Valerie's separation anxiety played a big role in why she went missing, so we'll be crate training her to provide a safe place to decompress," Georgia said. "We're also keeping her on a raw food diet, considering her incredible condition when she was found." Josh and Georgia never planned to return to Kangaroo Island after they lost Valerie, however, Josh said they've since booked in yearly holidays. Valerie's story of survival is a message of hope and Georgia said she hopes people can find inspiration from it. "If the smallest sausage dog can survive 529 days in the bush, you, too, can survive whatever life throws at you," she said.
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
It's home sweet home for global star Valerie, the 'best feeling in the world'
When Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock reunited with their beloved dachshund after 540 days, it was only fitting what song they wanted to listen to first. The sounds of Amy Winehouse's Valerie played through the speakers of their car as they left South Australia's Kangaroo Island earlier this month, now as a trio. During a camping trip on the island in November 2023, Valerie the sausage dog escaped her pen, spending 529 days in bushland before being captured by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, directed by Jared and Lisa Karran. They were brought back together on Tuesday, May 6, and the pooch has now settled into her home comfortably on the Vic/NSW border at Lavington. "It's just the best feeling in the world, especially that first night when we just lay down and had her in bed, it was just pure content and happiness," Miss Gardner said. "I was like, I don't have anything to stress about anymore because even in the year, your mind would wander like, 'I wonder where she is now and just to have her home, it's just wonderful." When Valerie went missing during their first camping trip with her, the couple were living in Broken Hill before moving to Lavington. During her disappearance, Miss Gardner and Mr Fishlock got another dachshund, Dorothy. "They were a bit jealous of each other to start with, but now they're best friends, they're just like two sisters," Mr Fishlock said. Miss Gardner never gave up hope that she was still out there. "I couldn't deal thinking of the fact that she was dead," she said. "It was just way too upsetting for me, so we kind of always thought, like we always had hope we'd get her back, but it was always in the picture of, maybe a nan or someone's looking after her who doesn't have Facebook and then she'll take her to the vet's one day and we'll get a call." Holding onto her old toys also helped in the search, as Miss Gardner sent them down to Kangala Wildlife Rescue as a familiar scent to lure the dachshund to a set-up trap. One of her worn T-shirts was also torn up and used around the area where Valerie was sighted on wildlife cameras to encourage her into the enclosure. Valerie will be turning three in June and now weighs 5.8 kilograms. She weighed four kilograms when she disappeared. Since returning home, the pair has noticed Valerie has less separation anxiety than she once did and has become more independent. "It's Valerie's world and we're living in it!" Miss Gardner said with a laugh. Introducing Valerie back into domestic life has been easier than expected, also with help from Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who supported her during her first week of recovery while waiting for the couple's arrival. Her disappearance has also led to a change in dog food for the pooch, now eating raw food to accommodate her time in "survival mode" on the island. Valerie's survival in the wild captured the nation's attention and gained global media coverage. The pair is grateful for the efforts of Kangala Wildlife Rescue in finding Valerie. The rescue had to find innovative ways to lure her to them, due to wildlife, including possums, interfering with their plans and also pressure received from the general public. "Everyone was learning, they hadn't done a rescue like this before," Mr Fishlock said. She was found about 15 kilometres away in a custom-designed enclosure from where she first escaped her pen at Stokes Bay. Having to leave Kangaroo Island after days of searching for the dog is a pain Miss Gardner "wouldn't wish on anyone". "We were checking into the ferry and they were like 'oh just two adults and a dog' and I was like, 'no dog' and just started crying," she said. The couple has had messages sent to them about how Valerie's journey has brought joy to many people. "Our main thing is we hope this brings a lot of happiness and joy to people in a time when a lot of people are struggling," Mr Fishlock said. A return to Kangaroo Island isn't off the table, as the rescue organisation's owners hope to see Valerie again. When Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock reunited with their beloved dachshund after 540 days, it was only fitting what song they wanted to listen to first. The sounds of Amy Winehouse's Valerie played through the speakers of their car as they left South Australia's Kangaroo Island earlier this month, now as a trio. During a camping trip on the island in November 2023, Valerie the sausage dog escaped her pen, spending 529 days in bushland before being captured by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, directed by Jared and Lisa Karran. They were brought back together on Tuesday, May 6, and the pooch has now settled into her home comfortably on the Vic/NSW border at Lavington. "It's just the best feeling in the world, especially that first night when we just lay down and had her in bed, it was just pure content and happiness," Miss Gardner said. "I was like, I don't have anything to stress about anymore because even in the year, your mind would wander like, 'I wonder where she is now and just to have her home, it's just wonderful." When Valerie went missing during their first camping trip with her, the couple were living in Broken Hill before moving to Lavington. During her disappearance, Miss Gardner and Mr Fishlock got another dachshund, Dorothy. "They were a bit jealous of each other to start with, but now they're best friends, they're just like two sisters," Mr Fishlock said. Miss Gardner never gave up hope that she was still out there. "I couldn't deal thinking of the fact that she was dead," she said. "It was just way too upsetting for me, so we kind of always thought, like we always had hope we'd get her back, but it was always in the picture of, maybe a nan or someone's looking after her who doesn't have Facebook and then she'll take her to the vet's one day and we'll get a call." Holding onto her old toys also helped in the search, as Miss Gardner sent them down to Kangala Wildlife Rescue as a familiar scent to lure the dachshund to a set-up trap. One of her worn T-shirts was also torn up and used around the area where Valerie was sighted on wildlife cameras to encourage her into the enclosure. Valerie will be turning three in June and now weighs 5.8 kilograms. She weighed four kilograms when she disappeared. Since returning home, the pair has noticed Valerie has less separation anxiety than she once did and has become more independent. "It's Valerie's world and we're living in it!" Miss Gardner said with a laugh. Introducing Valerie back into domestic life has been easier than expected, also with help from Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who supported her during her first week of recovery while waiting for the couple's arrival. Her disappearance has also led to a change in dog food for the pooch, now eating raw food to accommodate her time in "survival mode" on the island. Valerie's survival in the wild captured the nation's attention and gained global media coverage. The pair is grateful for the efforts of Kangala Wildlife Rescue in finding Valerie. The rescue had to find innovative ways to lure her to them, due to wildlife, including possums, interfering with their plans and also pressure received from the general public. "Everyone was learning, they hadn't done a rescue like this before," Mr Fishlock said. She was found about 15 kilometres away in a custom-designed enclosure from where she first escaped her pen at Stokes Bay. Having to leave Kangaroo Island after days of searching for the dog is a pain Miss Gardner "wouldn't wish on anyone". "We were checking into the ferry and they were like 'oh just two adults and a dog' and I was like, 'no dog' and just started crying," she said. The couple has had messages sent to them about how Valerie's journey has brought joy to many people. "Our main thing is we hope this brings a lot of happiness and joy to people in a time when a lot of people are struggling," Mr Fishlock said. A return to Kangaroo Island isn't off the table, as the rescue organisation's owners hope to see Valerie again. When Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock reunited with their beloved dachshund after 540 days, it was only fitting what song they wanted to listen to first. The sounds of Amy Winehouse's Valerie played through the speakers of their car as they left South Australia's Kangaroo Island earlier this month, now as a trio. During a camping trip on the island in November 2023, Valerie the sausage dog escaped her pen, spending 529 days in bushland before being captured by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, directed by Jared and Lisa Karran. They were brought back together on Tuesday, May 6, and the pooch has now settled into her home comfortably on the Vic/NSW border at Lavington. "It's just the best feeling in the world, especially that first night when we just lay down and had her in bed, it was just pure content and happiness," Miss Gardner said. "I was like, I don't have anything to stress about anymore because even in the year, your mind would wander like, 'I wonder where she is now and just to have her home, it's just wonderful." When Valerie went missing during their first camping trip with her, the couple were living in Broken Hill before moving to Lavington. During her disappearance, Miss Gardner and Mr Fishlock got another dachshund, Dorothy. "They were a bit jealous of each other to start with, but now they're best friends, they're just like two sisters," Mr Fishlock said. Miss Gardner never gave up hope that she was still out there. "I couldn't deal thinking of the fact that she was dead," she said. "It was just way too upsetting for me, so we kind of always thought, like we always had hope we'd get her back, but it was always in the picture of, maybe a nan or someone's looking after her who doesn't have Facebook and then she'll take her to the vet's one day and we'll get a call." Holding onto her old toys also helped in the search, as Miss Gardner sent them down to Kangala Wildlife Rescue as a familiar scent to lure the dachshund to a set-up trap. One of her worn T-shirts was also torn up and used around the area where Valerie was sighted on wildlife cameras to encourage her into the enclosure. Valerie will be turning three in June and now weighs 5.8 kilograms. She weighed four kilograms when she disappeared. Since returning home, the pair has noticed Valerie has less separation anxiety than she once did and has become more independent. "It's Valerie's world and we're living in it!" Miss Gardner said with a laugh. Introducing Valerie back into domestic life has been easier than expected, also with help from Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who supported her during her first week of recovery while waiting for the couple's arrival. Her disappearance has also led to a change in dog food for the pooch, now eating raw food to accommodate her time in "survival mode" on the island. Valerie's survival in the wild captured the nation's attention and gained global media coverage. The pair is grateful for the efforts of Kangala Wildlife Rescue in finding Valerie. The rescue had to find innovative ways to lure her to them, due to wildlife, including possums, interfering with their plans and also pressure received from the general public. "Everyone was learning, they hadn't done a rescue like this before," Mr Fishlock said. She was found about 15 kilometres away in a custom-designed enclosure from where she first escaped her pen at Stokes Bay. Having to leave Kangaroo Island after days of searching for the dog is a pain Miss Gardner "wouldn't wish on anyone". "We were checking into the ferry and they were like 'oh just two adults and a dog' and I was like, 'no dog' and just started crying," she said. The couple has had messages sent to them about how Valerie's journey has brought joy to many people. "Our main thing is we hope this brings a lot of happiness and joy to people in a time when a lot of people are struggling," Mr Fishlock said. A return to Kangaroo Island isn't off the table, as the rescue organisation's owners hope to see Valerie again. When Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock reunited with their beloved dachshund after 540 days, it was only fitting what song they wanted to listen to first. The sounds of Amy Winehouse's Valerie played through the speakers of their car as they left South Australia's Kangaroo Island earlier this month, now as a trio. During a camping trip on the island in November 2023, Valerie the sausage dog escaped her pen, spending 529 days in bushland before being captured by Kangala Wildlife Rescue, directed by Jared and Lisa Karran. They were brought back together on Tuesday, May 6, and the pooch has now settled into her home comfortably on the Vic/NSW border at Lavington. "It's just the best feeling in the world, especially that first night when we just lay down and had her in bed, it was just pure content and happiness," Miss Gardner said. "I was like, I don't have anything to stress about anymore because even in the year, your mind would wander like, 'I wonder where she is now and just to have her home, it's just wonderful." When Valerie went missing during their first camping trip with her, the couple were living in Broken Hill before moving to Lavington. During her disappearance, Miss Gardner and Mr Fishlock got another dachshund, Dorothy. "They were a bit jealous of each other to start with, but now they're best friends, they're just like two sisters," Mr Fishlock said. Miss Gardner never gave up hope that she was still out there. "I couldn't deal thinking of the fact that she was dead," she said. "It was just way too upsetting for me, so we kind of always thought, like we always had hope we'd get her back, but it was always in the picture of, maybe a nan or someone's looking after her who doesn't have Facebook and then she'll take her to the vet's one day and we'll get a call." Holding onto her old toys also helped in the search, as Miss Gardner sent them down to Kangala Wildlife Rescue as a familiar scent to lure the dachshund to a set-up trap. One of her worn T-shirts was also torn up and used around the area where Valerie was sighted on wildlife cameras to encourage her into the enclosure. Valerie will be turning three in June and now weighs 5.8 kilograms. She weighed four kilograms when she disappeared. Since returning home, the pair has noticed Valerie has less separation anxiety than she once did and has become more independent. "It's Valerie's world and we're living in it!" Miss Gardner said with a laugh. Introducing Valerie back into domestic life has been easier than expected, also with help from Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who supported her during her first week of recovery while waiting for the couple's arrival. Her disappearance has also led to a change in dog food for the pooch, now eating raw food to accommodate her time in "survival mode" on the island. Valerie's survival in the wild captured the nation's attention and gained global media coverage. The pair is grateful for the efforts of Kangala Wildlife Rescue in finding Valerie. The rescue had to find innovative ways to lure her to them, due to wildlife, including possums, interfering with their plans and also pressure received from the general public. "Everyone was learning, they hadn't done a rescue like this before," Mr Fishlock said. She was found about 15 kilometres away in a custom-designed enclosure from where she first escaped her pen at Stokes Bay. Having to leave Kangaroo Island after days of searching for the dog is a pain Miss Gardner "wouldn't wish on anyone". "We were checking into the ferry and they were like 'oh just two adults and a dog' and I was like, 'no dog' and just started crying," she said. The couple has had messages sent to them about how Valerie's journey has brought joy to many people. "Our main thing is we hope this brings a lot of happiness and joy to people in a time when a lot of people are struggling," Mr Fishlock said. A return to Kangaroo Island isn't off the table, as the rescue organisation's owners hope to see Valerie again.
