May 8, 2025

IN HONOR OF NATIONAL PET MONTH

Pet rescues and shelters need a huge amount of supplies to care for the animals that they are helping.  Use our FREE platform Benevolist.org to create a virtual item collection drive today or donate items to one that you care about!  Choose items from merchants you know and trust - Amazon, Walmart, Target and The Home Depot.
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The death-defying miniature dachshund Valerie

529 Days On the Run - Lost Mini Dachshund Rescued Thanks to Tireless Nonprofit

After 529 days alone in the rugged wilderness of Kangaroo Island, Australia, Valerie the miniature dachshund is finally safe—thanks to the determination of Kangala Wildlife Rescue, a local nonprofit that spent over 1,000 hours to bring her home.

Valerie disappeared in November 2023 during a family camping trip, slipping away from her playpen into the island’s wild, predator-filled bushland. Her devastated owners, Georgia Gardner and Josh Fishlock, feared she was gone for good—until locals began reporting sightings of a small dog with a pink collar nearly a year later.

Kangala Wildlife Rescue stepped in, setting up trail cameras and creating a scent trail using torn pieces of Gardner’s shirt to lead Valerie into a custom-built trap.

Despite challenges like kangaroos, feral cats, and other animals drawn to the bait, the team patiently waited for the right moment.

Eventually, Valerie responded to the familiar scents. Volunteers, wearing scent-soaked clothing and armed with roast chicken, gently coaxed the frightened dog into their arms.

“She’s just incredible,” said Lisa Karran, director of the nonprofit.

Now, an emotional reunion with her family is just days away—a powerful reminder, as Gardner said, that “for anyone who’s ever lost a pet, never give up hope.”

“Sometimes good things happen to good people.”

-Georgia Gardner, Valerie's Mum

Q: How Can You Set Up a Virtual Item Collection Drive in Minutes?

A: TEMPLATES!

Benevolist.org has ready-to-use templates for any cause that you can customize to also make your drives digital. Offer your supporters a virtual option for giving the items that you need right now and they'll thank you for making it so easy for them to donate to you!

Learn how to start your first drive here:
Watch Our Organizer Walkthrough Video

Make Your Collection Drive a Huge Success

You've created your drive - now you need to let your supporters, donors and the world know about it! We've provided you all the tools you need to quickly and easily get the word out about your drive in our Benevolist Media Kit.

Even if you only have 10 minutes, you can copy, paste and customize social media posts and email copy that will motivate people to contribute to your cause.

Check out our Media Kit here!

CEO REFLECTIONS

There is truly nothing like the unconditional love of a dog. No matter what your mood, they seem to know how to make you feel just a little bit better. Now this may also be the same for cats, hamsters, lizards, etc., but since I'm a dog person, I can only speak from that perspective. I’m guessing though that any pet that you love probably loves you back on some level, even if it’s only because you’re its source of food, water, and safety.

So how the heck did Valerie manage in the wild for about a year and a half with none of these three things being given to her? What sustained her and kept her going? Did she learn how to spear fish and make fire? Did she break open coconuts, a-la Tom Hanks in Castaway?

My theory... she’s clearly a cat dressed in a dog suit, and she used up 8 of her 9 lives during that 529-day span of time lost on Kangaroo Island. I hope her 9th life is a bit less eventful.

Together we can make a difference!

Cari Newton, Founder & CEO

“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.” 

– James Herriot 

Meet

Molly Goldston

Director of Saving Grace Animal Shelter, Raleigh, NC
Molly Goldston

Molly Goldston has dedicated her life to giving unwanted dogs the chance to receive the care they need and their best chance for adoption. A native of Wake County, NC, she witnessed firsthand the heartbreaking number of animals euthanized in rural shelters across North Carolina, where resources are limited and adopters are scarce.

Driven by a deep love for animals and a desire to make a meaningful difference, Molly founded Saving Grace Animals for Adoption in 2004. Her vision has created a different kind of shelter: a welcoming space where potential adopters can meet and interact with dogs outside of cages, giving dogs who otherwise would have no chance, the opportunity for a home and future as a beloved family member.

ABOUT SAVING GRACE
DONATE ITEMS TO SAVING GRACE HERE

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