After being on the lam for 529 days, Valerie the dog finally rescued – National [Video]

After 529 days on the lam, Valerie the miniature dachshund has finally been rescued.

Valerie, a tiny wiener dog with a pink collar, first went missing in November 2023 after she escaped from her pen on a beach on Kangaroo Island in South Australia and ran off into the bush in the surrounding Stokes Bay.

Her owners, with the help of locals and staff at Kangala Wildlife Rescue, spent the next five days searching for their furry friend before giving up and going home to New South Wales.

And while lost dogs often capture hearts, Valerie captured international attention as the world watched and waited, following along closely after several sightings were reported in recent months.

“Valerie has been safely rescued and is fit and well,” Kangala Wildlife Rescue announced on its Facebook group on Friday night, sharing that a well-worn T-shirt that once belonged to Valerie’s owner was key to her rescue.

“We were able to rip little strips …