When Josh and Georgia set out for a quiet beach camping trip to Kangaroo Island in Australia, they brought along their miniature Dachshund, Valerie. Weighing under nine pounds and wearing a little pink collar, Valerie wasn’t just a pet—she was family.

But in November 2023, during their stay near remote Stokes Bay, Valerie got spooked by strangers and bolted into the bush. Despite desperate efforts from her owners and local volunteers, she vanished without a trace. Heartbroken and out of options, Josh and Georgia were forced to leave the island without her.

As weeks turned into months, hope began to fade. How could such a tiny dog survive on her own in the wild?

Then, more than a year later in early 2025, sightings began to surface—people had spotted a small dog with a pink collar nearly 10 miles from where Valerie had gone missing. Trail camera footage confirmed the unbelievable: Valerie was alive.

Kangala Wildlife Rescue teamed up with Josh and Georgia to try and bring her home. They used food, scent trails, and humane traps—but Valerie stayed wary. Finally, after 540 days, she walked into one of the traps. She was thin but alive—and when she saw her family again, there wasn’t a dry eye in sight.

Now safe at home, Valerie is healing with plenty of warmth and love. Her journey is more than just a survival story—it’s a powerful reminder of resilience, the unbreakable bond between pets and their humans, and the miracles that can happen when you don’t give up hope.