When Amber, a five-year-old golden retriever cross, arrived in England from Qatar, no one could have predicted the extraordinary journey that lay ahead. Less than 24 hours after reaching her foster home in the New Forest region on April 25, Amber cleared an eight-foot deer fence and vanished into the wilderness.
Rescued from the streets of Qatar, where she had lived for the first years of her life, Amber was brought to the UK by KS Angels Rescue. Sam Collins and Kelly Parker, the charity’s co-founders, had hoped to help her transition into a new life. But Amber had other plans.
“She probably hadn’t formed close bonds to any human in her life,” Collins told CNN. “So all of the people that she was seeing, she didn’t know whether they were a threat or not.”
Amber escaped her foster home in New Forest one day after arriving from Qatar.
A Trail of Sightings
From the morning of her escape, Amber was always one step ahead. In the first three weeks, she never strayed more than ten miles from the place she went missing, though she constantly changed direction. Collins and a network of volunteers received dozens of photos and videos from concerned citizens and used them to set up cameras and food stations in her path, The Mirror reports.
Then, all went quiet.
Weeks passed without sightings. The team feared the worst. But Amber hadn’t stopped—she had simply traveled further than anyone expected.
Amber swam over a mile from Sandbanks to Brownsea Island.
From Forest to Sea
According to Collins, Amber covered roughly 30 miles to reach Poole, a coastal town in southern England. Locals reported spotting a stray dog, but the dots weren’t connected back to Amber. From there, her most shocking move yet—she leapt into the sea and swam a full mile from Sandbanks to Brownsea Island, a protected wildlife haven where dogs are typically not welcome Newser reports.
She stayed on the island for three days, helped by a kind resident who left out food each night. Search parties from the National Trust attempted to retrieve her, but Amber remained elusive. Eventually, likely spooked by the attention, she tried to swim back.
That decision nearly cost her everything.
A Sea Rescue Just in Time
Eventually two men aboard a ferry in Poole Harbor noticed something in the water. At first, they thought it was a seal. But as they got closer, they realized it was a dog.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked,” Gary Bennett, the boat’s captain. told The Washington Post. “You don’t see a dog swimming in the main shipping channels ever.”
Amber swam toward them, her paws gripping the boat’s ladder tightly. Trainee skipper Ethan Grant jumped into the harbor and helped her aboard.
Cold, frightened, and exhausted, Amber collapsed into Bennett’s lap.
“She literally curled up in a ball on my lap and was so scared,” he said.
Brownsea Island is a protected area where dogs aren’t typically allowed.
Back to Safety
Photos shared on social media quickly made their way to KS Angels Rescue. Collins recognized Amber from a distinctive scar on her nose. She was collected, checked by a vet, and found to be thin and bruised but otherwise healthy.
After surviving 36 days on the run, she had somehow avoided serious injury.
“I have never known a dog that travels that many miles and survives,” foster caretaker Jess Wadsworth, who had cared for her during her one night in New Forest, told Newser.
Now back with her foster family, Amber is kept on multiple leashes at all times. She’s tired, but affectionate.
“She’s got a couple of bruises where she’s probably caught herself on barbed wire, thorn bushes or something, but other than that she’s in remarkable condition considering,” Collins told 10News.
What Comes Next
Amber’s adventure has sparked worldwide attention. KS Angels Rescue has received dozens of inquiries from people wanting to adopt her. But Collins is being cautious.
“We need to make sure that whoever she goes to gives her a five-star home and understands that she’s a flight risk,” he told CNN.
One woman—who cared for Amber on Brownsea Island—is interested in adopting her. Whether Amber stays there or finds a new forever home elsewhere, one thing is certain: she’s already proven herself tougher and more resourceful than anyone imagined.
