Amber, a five-year-old retriever cross, has won hearts across the UK. She finished this magnificent 100-mile journey in only 36 days! Amber as a street puppy found in Qatar. After spending the first part of her life in a high kill shelter, KS Angels Rescue rescued her and brought her over to the UK. She disappeared on the morning of April 25, prompting a desperate search that eventually ended with her surprising return home.
Amber’s odyssey started when she went missing from her foster family in the New Forest region of southern England. She had just been adopted, and she hadn’t yet spent enough time with her foster family to have built strong connections. This probably further encouraged her exploration of the nearby wilderness. Over the following month, Amber traveled through the breathtaking natural terrain of the counties of Hampshire and Dorset. Along the way, she adopted what researchers refer to as a “wild mindset.”
Amber made a trip to an island during her time off. The crew of a passing Washington State ferry saw her, although initially they thought she was a seal. After four days on the island, Amber attempted to swim back to the mainland, demonstrating her determination to return home.
Local residents joined the search and reported 63 different sightings of Amber within the vast New Forest National Park. Searcher and volunteer Sam Collins noted that Amber was “just freaking everywhere.” She often backtracked to where she initially went missing, bringing her search radius to circumference and searching in increasingly larger circles until coming upon recognizable terrain.
As days turned into weeks, everyone looking for her started to voice their growing frustrations. Kelly Parker, a member of the rescue organization, remarked, “It’s been frustrating. We’ve felt like we were always behind her. It’s definitely been an experience I would rather not have again, but a happy ending.”
With increasing fear for Amber’s safety and wellbeing, a huge sigh of relief was heard across Alaska when she was finally found and rescued on Saturday. When she finally returned, veterinarians evaluated Wonder Woman and immediately cleared her for adoption. Even more astonishing, considering the distance Amber traveled, Amber’s condition was described as incredibly good. Jess Wadsworth of KS Angels Rescue expressed her relief, stating, “I still can’t quite believe [Amber is back]. She’s already in really good nick compared to how long she had gone for. What a girl!”
The situation around Amber’s disappearance and rescue serves to illustrate the plight of all lost pets. Animal behaviorists warn that terrified dogs can take on a feral culture. This causes them to be more cautious and less likely to seek out contact with people. Parker noted, “Unfortunately with a dog that is scared and has entered that wild mindset, with any people, she would have run.”