How The Advertiser broke and covered the story of Valerie the missing sausage dog on Kangaroo Island
How did this little dog become such a huge story that her adventure reached all the way from KI to NYC? Ruby Stewart explains how Valerie became a viral sensation with The Advertiser covering it every step of the way.
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When Valerie the sausage dog’s story slid across my desk over a month ago, my first thought was ‘no way’.
A tiny sausage dog alive on Kangaroo Island after being on the run for more than five hundred days? It just couldn’t be possible.
But after speaking to her owner Georgia Gardner I quickly became a believer in Valerie’s incredible tale.
Georgia told me about the various sightings of Valerie and when she sent through the photographic proof, I was floored.
You had to zoom in to see but once you did, clear as day, there was a sausage dog running through an open field – its long body and big ears a definite indicator that Valerie was still out there.
Just like Georgia, her partner Josh Fishlock and the Kangala Wildlife Rescue team, I was completely unprepared for the media frenzy that started after my first article was published.
When I saw it had made it to news in New York, London and Washington I was amazed. I had never had a story go viral like this before.
Every man and his dog was asking me about it, with my friends and family messaging me “found the dog yet?” more often than I would like to admit.
The pressure was on from the get-go and I was not the only one feeling the heat.
The team at Kangala Wildlife Rescue quickly became an online sensation with thousands of followers from all over the world tuning into their “Catching Valerie” series.
Each day it felt like they were getting closer and closer to finding Valerie until eventually it became clear that the capture was imminent.
When it was announced that I would be heading to Kangaroo Island the pressure was huge.
A few of my co-workers even joked that I may not have a desk if I came back and Valerie still had not been found. This had become an international story and the stakes were higher than ever.
It was my first time on Kangaroo Island (I know, ridiculous for someone born and bred in South Australia) so I already knew that Valerie had one up on me.
The first few days were torture, refreshing Facebook over and over again and keeping in close contact with Kangala Wildlife Rescue.
Of course I wanted the story from a journalistic point of view but just like millions of people across the world, I wanted to see Valerie’s rescue and reunion with her owners because I was a fan.
Just like Georgia and Josh, I am a dog ‘paw-rent’ and like Jared and Lisa Karran, an animal lover.
This story was much more than a “career win” – to me it was personal.
When the post announcing her rescue finally dropped, I was ecstatic. It was such a joyful moment but I also knew the race was on as other media quickly made their way to the island.
From the beginning there was a lot of emotion involved with this story and it was stressful for all involved.
For Jared and Lisa, they had invested more time in Valerie than anyone else and I was committed to telling their story with the respect it deserved.
Hearing in their own words how they tracked down the elusive pooch was incredible.
The time, effort and money they put into this rescue was huge and should not be discounted.
Their account of the moment Valerie first curled up in their laps on the night of her rescue was enough to melt even the iciest of hearts.
Earning their trust to become the main journalist on this story was not easy.
Slowly but surely they started to share their side with me and provided me with the first exclusive picture of Valerie.
I was humbled when Jared invited me back to the island to meet Valerie, Josh and Georgia on the day of their reunion.
Seeing them all for the first time was overwhelming.
While the shiny coat and perfect condition could be deceiving of the ordeal Valerie had been through, one look at those muscly legs confirmed to me that this dog had really been on the run for 17 months.
I have to admit like many of her followers, I also believed that Valerie would be feral when she was rescued.
But as soon as I saw her, she came bounding over, sniffing my shoes and letting me pat her straight away.
It was clear that she knew exactly who her mum and dad were too, showering them with kisses and cuddles, following them around and even falling asleep in their arms.
Valerie had been missing longer than I have been a journalist and here she was, the loveliest little dog full of joy and energy.
You seriously can’t write this stuff! – But I did!
Georgia and Josh put it perfectly – Valerie’s story is one of hope.
To the doubters of Valerie’s story who persist with their conspiracies about how she survived, I say lighten up!
In a world where so much divides us, this miniature dachshund has brought together people from across the globe in such a … paw-sitive way.
People say journalists don’t get to tell a lot of good news, but I have spent the last month doing just that and it has been such an honour.
Valerie – you’re the story we all needed.
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Originally published as How The Advertiser broke and covered the story of Valerie the missing sausage dog on Kangaroo Island
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