Amber Nelson was just seven years old when she started helping established rescue operations in Broward County. Now 18 and living in Loxahatchee with her parents Kelly and Troy, Amber has already logged three years as a foster parent for a number of dogs through her own organization, Amber’s Animal Outreach.
Kelly explained that their nonprofit is not facility-based, but rather a foster operation.
“Amber takes in dogs that are about to be euthanized unnecessarily, gets them back to health and fosters them until they are adopted,” she said. “Many of the dogs are love-starved when she gets them. We also get calls from people going into nursing homes, who love their pets but can’t take them with them. If we can help, we do. Even though we are small, Amber saves hundreds of dogs every year.”
Like most rescues, the challenges for Amber’s Animal Outreach are twofold — getting funding and finding the right home for the right dog.
The hard-working teenager depends on donations acquired primarily through fundraisers and her Facebook page.
In an effort to find potential adopters, Amber and her supporters spend just about every other weekend at PetSmart, hoping to find homes for the dogs. She also is a presence at Roger Dean Stadium during baseball games.
“All this started because Amber couldn’t stand the thought of dogs being put down,” Kelly said. “As her mom, just seeing her following her dream makes me happy. Her love and compassion are amazing. She was home-schooled and just graduated this year. We’ll see where her path takes her now.”
To support Amber Nelson in her mission, visit www.aaodog.org.
