A tiny Dachshund named Valerie, who had gone missing for over 1,600 days, was miraculously found alive. The Kangala Wildlife Rescue team, based in Australia, conducted extensive search operations to find Valerie on Kangaroo Island, where she was last seen by her owners Georgia Gardner and Joshua Fishlock during a camping trip in November 2023. The couple left Valerie in a playpen for a brief period while they went fishing, only to return and find her gone.
Despite the challenges of surviving in the scorching wilderness and avoiding venomous snakes, Valerie’s remarkable journey ultimately came to an end when rescuers used Georgia Gardner’s t-shirt to create a scent trail leading to a special trap. According to the rescuers, Valerie’s health is now good, and the rescue mission required over 1,000 hours of searching and covered more than 5,000km (3,109 miles).
Kangala Wildlife Rescue employed various strategies, including surveillance cameras and a trap cage equipped with a remote door system loaded with food, Ms. Gardner’s clothes, and Valerie’s toys. Upon successfully trapping Valerie, Lisa Karran, a director of Kangala Wildlife Rescue, wore the remnants of Ms. Gardner’s clothes and sat with Valerie to ensure she was calm and comfortable during the rescue.
While other campers had spotted Valerie hiding underneath a parked car shortly after her disappearance, she managed to escape into the bush. Later, island locals discovered a pink collar matching Valerie’s, surprising the rescuers. Jared Karran, another Kangala director, remarked that he and others were astonished by Valerie’s survival considering the challenging environment.
In a 15-minute video posted on social media, Lisa and Jared Karran explained the rollercoaster rescue mission in detail. They emphasized the importance of patience and explained how they waited for Valerie to be in the perfect position and calm enough before closing the trap. Ms. Gardner expressed her gratitude and shared her experience of losing a pet, encouraging others never to lose hope.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1p1lezdgo
