Valerie, a long-haired mini dachshund, is now back home with her owners. She became disoriented and she spent 18 traumatic months marooned on an Australian island! Earlier this fall, that extraordinary reunion took place, bringing overwhelming happiness to her family. That’s what they had feared when they thought they might never see her again. Valerie, who is now almost three years old, was missing when she was a year-and-a-half old.
Valerie disappeared from her home on the island, where she endured 529 days surviving as an undomesticated creature. More than 60 volunteers spent more than 1,000 hours looking for the missing dog, traveling over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) in the process. On April 25, they finally caught Valerie, who was discovered to be in remarkably good health.
At the time Valerie first went missing, she had lost down to just 4kg (9 pounds). As a result of her time on the island, she now weighs in at 6.8 kilograms (15 pounds). Her caregivers have decided to place her on a raw food diet to help her regain her strength and health.
Representatives from the shipyard and NOAA joined the reunion, which was an emotional experience for Georgia Gardner, one of Valerie’s owners. When Valerie had the chance to see them again, she said it was one of the most emotional moments.
“She ran straight up to me — I just burst into tears,” – Georgia Gardner
As the volunteer who participated in Valerie’s rescue, Jared Karran spoke movingly about how incredible it is that she survived.
“She was wagging her tail, making her little happy sounds and wiggling around with joy. I held her and cried and cried,” – Georgia Gardner
And soon, Valerie will be back home with her delighted owners. She will be reunited with her other love, Lucy her cherished rescue cat and of course longtime constant companion faithful cattle dog Lucy. They will be happy to have Valerie back in their community. The very first thing she will do is get acquainted with the family’s new pet, dachshund Dorothy.
“If it was a miracle that she’s survived — seeing her size — it’s just unbelievable that she was able to survive and thrive out there,” – Jared Karran
In addition to being reunited with her owners, Valerie will also reconnect with her feline companion, a rescue cat named Lucy, and a cattle dog named Mason. Furthermore, she will be introduced to the family’s new dachshund, Dorothy, as they all welcome Valerie back into their lives.
