Never doubt the hardiness of the wiener dog.
According to The Guardian, a miniature dachshund has survived for over 16 months in the wilds of South Australia’s Kangaroo Island after getting loose from her pet parents.
The nearly 9-pound Valerie first went missing in November 2023. A year-and-half later, the Kangala Wildlife Rescue reports that first-hand accounts and video indicate that Valerie is kicking, and appears to have a lot of energy.
“She runs at the first sign of humans or vehicles, and despite the best efforts of dedicated Island locals, Valerie has been impossible to catch,” the organization says.
Valerie’s improbable survival tale was especially surprising to her mom, Georgia Gardner, who describes her as “an absolute little princess.”
“She never left my side,” Gardner says. “She was not a very outside, rough-and-tough dog. To think that she even went one night outside in the rain, oh my gosh.”
This dog has definitely had her share of days.