After braving the desert for 500 days, Valerie is heavier than ever. Has any person been feeding the mini dachshund?

As Valerie is reunited together with her house owners, thriller stays over how the miniature dachshund braved greater than 500 days in Kangaroo Island’s rugged desert handiest to emerge wholesome, glad – and bigger than earlier than.

Valerie captured the arena’s consideration when she was once noticed 529 days after going lacking at the South Australian island, with other folks international avidly following the tale of her seize.

But the previous 4kg canine placed on 1.8kg since going lacking, elevating questions on her time away.

Owners Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock, from Albury in New South Wales, took Valerie to the South Australian island for a vacation in November 2023, however the small canine escaped her pen at Stokes Bay and disappeared.

They reunited together with her on Tuesday.

Gardner stated in a commentary that Valerie was once “making her little happy sounds, and wiggling around with joy”, and that she may just slightly have compatibility into her outdated harness.

“She’s stockier now, strong and healthy … healthier than we are, honestly,” she stated.

Local organisation Kangala Wildlife Rescue, who noticed Valerie in March this 12 months and trapped her weeks later, posted on social media on Tuesday evening {that a} vet discovered she was once in “perfect health”.

Kangala director Jared Karran stated in a commentary on Wednesday that taking into account Valerie’s small stature it was once “just unbelievable she was able to survive and thrive out there”.

The island’s mayor stated locals imagine any person should were feeding the small canine, whilst fellow Kangala director Lisa Karran stated they have been “sure possums or cats out there were grooming her”.

Kangaroo Island has declared warfare at the feral cats at the island, which kill the local natural world together with endangered species.

After more than one tantalising glimpses of the sausage canine in cameras arrange through Kangala, they controlled to lure her on 25 April the usage of a cage with a far off cause.

Videos posted since display a contented little canine frolicking with toys and cuddling as much as Kangala team of workers – a some distance cry from the rabid dog some feared she might turn out to be.

However, many island locals and social media customers have commented at the canine’s remarkably wholesome look after her time within the wild, in a spot populated through competitive feral cats, snakes and different predators.

The Kangaroo Island mayor, Michael Pengilly, stated the tale was once “fantastic publicity” for the island however that folks suspected any person have been having a look after Valerie in her free-range years at the land.

“Ninety percent of people that have spoken to me have said someone must have been feeding and watering her for her to survive,” he stated.

“By the colour of the coat, how shiny it was and the condition of the dog there’s no way known it could have come through however many days without being fed and watered.”

Some stated it was once conceivable Valerie consumed roadkill or different animals’ faeces and drank from dams.

Kangala and the house owners were reluctant to interact with maximum media shops and didn’t solution Guardian Australia’s questions. They stated closing week that broadcast media had violated their privateness through taking footage of Valerie with out permission.

Gardner and Fishlock informed Adelaide newspaper the Advertiser they have been glad to peer their “princess” after see you later.

They stated she had turn out to be “more open to people” and gave them kisses and cuddles.

Locals and mavens had in the past voiced considerations {that a} canine by itself for that lengthy would turn out to be feral. They have been additionally involved in her affect on local natural world at the island.

Pengilly stated Valerie’s trend of behaviour made him suspect she had any person having a look out for her, one thing more than one locals at the island have informed Guardian Australia additionally they imagine.

“It was going back to where they had the trap set up every four, five, six days, which says to me it’s getting fed and looked after at home, then it smells something and goes back here,” Pengilly stated.

On social media, some steered it was once a “money-making exercise”, with the worldwide consideration targeted at the small charity, staffed handiest through volunteers.

“We all love the story but I’m just thinking they are milking it a bit now,” one stated.

In reaction, Kangala stated: “When the dust settles and the truth comes out I think you might be pleasantly surprised.

“It can be hard to see in this cruel world, but most people still want to do what’s right.”

Gardner credited Kangala with placing hours of labor into her seize, “sacrificing their time, sleep, work and privacy out of genuine care and love for Valerie and us”.

Kangala has now not replied to questions on how a lot they raised of their ongoing donation efforts.

Overseas donors have historically been beneficiant to Kangaroo Island, Pengilly stated.

“With the fires, they were exceedingly generous, we got $100,000 short of $6m, a lot of it from overseas,” he stated. “They’re all falling head over heels for Valerie.”

Others questioned why it took see you later for the house owners to reunite together with her.

Kangala stated the house owners had to organise time without work, and Valerie wanted time to readjust and “decompress”.

“Putting her in a car, travelling many hours when she was first rescued, we don’t believe would have been in her best interest. She needs time to decompress and adjust,” the organisation stated on Facebook.

Now, they stated: “Valerie is in perfect health and ready for her parents and the next chapter of her life.”

Valerie will commute again to Albury, to her “best friend” Lucy, a rescue cat, crimson heeler Mason and the circle of relatives’s new dachshund, Dorothy. Gardner stated Valerie might be crate skilled and put her on a uncooked meals nutrition, “considering her incredible condition when she was found”.