A miniature dachshund named Valerie, who went missing 16 months ago on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, has been sighted alive but remains elusive to a team of volunteer searchers and wildlife experts. Valerie, who weighed less than 4kg and had a pink collar, was inseparable from her owner, Georgia Gardner, before she vanished in November 2021 while on holiday with her partner, Josh Fishlock.

Initially, despite numerous sightings and a week-long search effort, Valerie was not found. However, about a year after she went missing, the couple learned through social media that Valerie had been seen on the island. Kangala Wildlife Rescue then joined the search, confirming that Valerie is alive based on first-hand accounts and video evidence. The team described her as running away at the sight of humans or vehicles, making her extremely difficult to capture.

The last sighting of Valerie was 15km from where she went missing, and the organization has set up traps with cameras to try and bring her back. Gardner expressed disbelief and initially hesitance to believe the news

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/26/miniature-dachshund-valerie-lost-kangaroo-island-south-australia-found-alive