Well sometimes I go out by myself
March 26, 2025 2:24 PM Subscribe
Alone and against the odds, one dachshund survives 16 months in the wild. Valerie, a miniature dachshund weighing in under 4kg slipped the leash to go rogue on Kangaroo Island. Now she survives as a force of nature, a maverick, possibly an eater of other animal's poo.
...despite the best efforts of dedicated Island locals, Valerie has been impossible to catch.
Sounds like she made a fool out of them.
posted by Naberius at 2:47 PM on March 26 [5 favorites]
Sounds like she made a fool out of them.
posted by Naberius at 2:47 PM on March 26 [5 favorites]
I assume, being Australian, this is some form of venomous dachshund?
posted by mittens at 2:50 PM on March 26 [13 favorites]
posted by mittens at 2:50 PM on March 26 [13 favorites]
Would you say Valerie has been... ruffing it?
posted by phunniemee at 3:09 PM on March 26 [6 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 3:09 PM on March 26 [6 favorites]
Living the dream Valerie, living the dream.
posted by nickggully at 3:17 PM on March 26
posted by nickggully at 3:17 PM on March 26
Living the dream like jazz on a summer's day!
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 3:22 PM on March 26 [1 favorite]
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 3:22 PM on March 26 [1 favorite]
Oh those eyes. May she run free.
posted by supermedusa at 3:31 PM on March 26 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 3:31 PM on March 26 [1 favorite]
What a cutie!
Our neighbors have gotten a wirehaired Dauchsund, Leopold, (Austrian Emperor), but, we have had a bunch of Coyotes in the neighborhood of late. Valerie would likely be a meal...
posted by Windopaene at 3:47 PM on March 26
Our neighbors have gotten a wirehaired Dauchsund, Leopold, (Austrian Emperor), but, we have had a bunch of Coyotes in the neighborhood of late. Valerie would likely be a meal...
posted by Windopaene at 3:47 PM on March 26
I feel like way too much happens on Kangaroo Island. It’s a busy… one might say hopping… place.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:09 PM on March 26
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:09 PM on March 26
She still hasn't found that damn badger.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:21 PM on March 26
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:21 PM on March 26
shhh
lest you waken the Greg_Ace
Won't work; I am ever vigilant. Especially when it comes to weiners.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:22 PM on March 26 [4 favorites]
lest you waken the Greg_Ace
Won't work; I am ever vigilant. Especially when it comes to weiners.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:22 PM on March 26 [4 favorites]
So, I have been to Kangaroo Island, and Kangaroo Island has relatively few land-based predators large enough to want to take on a dachshund.
The greatest danger would be the feral cats (which are being culled to help protect small native marsupials, but there are still some feral cats left.)
Other than feral cats the greatest danger would be snake bite (a dachshund is too big for most venomous snakes on Kangaroo Island to eat, but the bite would still be fatal); Wedge Tailed Eagles; and White-bellied sea eagles (near the coast).
If you get right next to the beach at certain times of year, there are fur seals and sea lions, but they're on land to rest after long fishing trips, not to hunt - although they can certainly do a fatal bite if you get too close to them and annoy them or frighten them.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 4:36 PM on March 26 [2 favorites]
The greatest danger would be the feral cats (which are being culled to help protect small native marsupials, but there are still some feral cats left.)
Other than feral cats the greatest danger would be snake bite (a dachshund is too big for most venomous snakes on Kangaroo Island to eat, but the bite would still be fatal); Wedge Tailed Eagles; and White-bellied sea eagles (near the coast).
If you get right next to the beach at certain times of year, there are fur seals and sea lions, but they're on land to rest after long fishing trips, not to hunt - although they can certainly do a fatal bite if you get too close to them and annoy them or frighten them.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 4:36 PM on March 26 [2 favorites]
Which is to say: the greatest danger to the dachshund being in the wild for that long was
1. getting heat stroke;
2. not being able to find enough water;
3. not being able to find enough food.
It's not like the US where there are coyotes and wolves and mountain lions;
or like parts of mainland Australia where there are dingoes and large pythons.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 4:37 PM on March 26
1. getting heat stroke;
2. not being able to find enough water;
3. not being able to find enough food.
It's not like the US where there are coyotes and wolves and mountain lions;
or like parts of mainland Australia where there are dingoes and large pythons.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 4:37 PM on March 26
Best thing I've read all week! Thank you!
posted by KingBoogly at 4:53 PM on March 26
posted by KingBoogly at 4:53 PM on March 26
You go Valerieeeeeeee! Run like the wind!! I love this story.
posted by Vatnesine at 5:04 PM on March 26 [1 favorite]
posted by Vatnesine at 5:04 PM on March 26 [1 favorite]
I hope Valerie is out there having fun, living her wild, independent life for a bit.
But I also hope she decides she's had enough and goes back to being a pet.
Until then, Valerie, live your life!
posted by edencosmic at 5:22 PM on March 26
But I also hope she decides she's had enough and goes back to being a pet.
Until then, Valerie, live your life!
posted by edencosmic at 5:22 PM on March 26
« Older The prehistory of QWERTY and that myth debunked
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 2:37 PM on March 26 [10 favorites]