Lost Dog Rescued at Sea After Traveling 100 Miles from Home

A lost dog went on quite the journey. In an interview with CNN, Sam Collins, the co-founder of not-for-profit KS Rescue Angels, recounted one pup’s 100-mile, month-long journey.

Amber, a 5-year-old dog, wandered off in April shortly after she came to live with an experienced foster family. The pup escaped through the family’s garden, somehow getting around the 8-foot fences at the property.

Her big escape came just after she arrived in London from Qatar, where she was rescued off the streets.

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Social media proceeded to do its thing, as users captured pics of video of Amber out and about. The rescue service was busy tracking Amber the whole time via cameras they set up at feeding stations.

“We were doing this for three or four weeks and we always seemed to be one step behind her,” Collins said. “Then it all went dark around the four-week mark and we stopped getting any reliable sightings.”

It was around that time that Collins said he believes Amber traveled 30 miles away to Poole. While residents in the coastal town did spot a stray dog, no one realized it was Amber because of the distance.

Amber then proceeded to swim one mile from Sandbanks to Brownsea Island. The island, which is managed by the National Trust, is a wildlife haven where dogs are not usually welcome.

“She spent three days there and there was a search party from the National Trust, as well as a lady who lived there who put food out for her every night,” Collins said. “She probably got spooked by all the people trying to catch her so she tried to swim back to Sandbanks but got into trouble when she got caught in the currents and tide.”

Missing Dog Rescued at Sea

A passing boat soon spotted Amber and a mid-sea rescue was made.

“She swam to the boat and actually hooked her paws around the ladder on the side,” Collins said. “They couldn’t pull her up because she had actually hooked her paws so tightly. One of the lads jumped in the water to get in from behind her and push her into the boat.”

The story of a dog rescued at sea soon made its way to social media. Collins eventually saw a post about it and recognized the pup. Amber made her way back home, where a veterinarian noted that she lost weight but was otherwise in good health after her 100-mile journey.

“She’s been very tired but very snuggly,” Collins said. “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.”

Amber’s foster family, meanwhile, is taking big precautions to keep her safe at their home.

“She’s being kept on at least two, possibly three leads at any time in the garden,” Collins said. “The foster home is terrified of her getting out again.”

As for when Amber will find her forever home, Collins said he has no doubt that day will come.

“The story has blown up so we’ve had quite a lot of interest from people wanting to adopt her,” he said. “We need to make sure that whoever she goes to gives her a five-star home and understands that she’s a flight risk.”