Team Info
Task Force: Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)
Level: Certified
Search Dog Info
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Sex: Female
Born: December 28, 2015
Donated by a private donor
Sponsor: Julie Croker
Scott became aware of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Urban Search & Rescue after the Oklahoma City Bombing in April of 1995. An article in the local Des Moines newspaper on a wilderness Search and Rescue Team sparked his interest further and inspired him to become a Canine Handler. With experience from Boy Scouts and the fire service, he felt confident his skill set would easily make his dream of partnering with a search dog a reality. Search Dog Hank, a non-SDF Search Dog, was partnered with Scott for 11 years, and upon Hank’s retirement, Scott got ready to find a new partner to continue with as a handler.
While Hank and Scott were still training together in Iowa, Amber, a gorgeous and sweet-natured Belgian Malinois, was donated to the Search Dog Foundation by a private donor because she was deemed to have “too much energy.” A perfect fit as a search dog, Amber has a lot of drive — beaucoup d’enthousiasme, as you would say in her first language, French!
Previously named Charlee, Amber was renamed in honor of a local woman named Amber Skall, who tragically succumbed to cancer at the age of 33 on February 10, 2016. Amber grew up in a family of public servants and was very proud to serve her community as a 9-1-1 Public Safety Dispatcher for the Ventura Police Department (VPD) and as a Tactical Dispatcher for the VPD SWAT Team. A dog lover and “mom” to her three rescued pups, Amber’s smile, courage and sense of humor never wavered despite the challenges she faced, and she is missed greatly by her family and friends. We are honored to pay tribute to Amber Skall’s legacy by naming one of our own after her.
After months of intensive training at our NTC, Amber was paired with veteran handler Scott Hofstetter of Nebraska Task Force 1 during our July 2018 Handler Course. Amber spent her last months here at SDF perfecting her skills and proved ready and eager to join the workforce! According to trainer Mandy Tisdale, Amber and Scott bonded well during their Handler Course and returned home to Scott’s native Iowa to continue to strengthen it.
An affectionate pup, Amber shows her admiration by leaning on Scott’s leg when not on the search. At a socialization exercise during the course where handlers and the soon-to-be search dogs went to a crowded restaurant in Downtown Ventura, Scott was equally as affectionate, petting Amber the whole time. Her intensity and drive are great assets and a perfect match for Scott as the two set their sights on FEMA Certification, achieving that milestone first on March 3, 2019, and for a second time on June 11, 2022.
On June 21, 2022, Scott Hofstetter & Amber, alongside fellow SDF-trained team Laura Denison & Flyer, were sent with two additional non-SDF canine members of their team to search for a missing employee at a silo after it had collapsed. The silos were scheduled to be demolished in weeks and employees were preparing the property when the collapse occurred.
Sadly, rescuers did not get the result they always hope for, but our handlers were proud to be there to assist in the search and reported that their canine partners did well. Laura shared via text, “Flyer and Amber did amazing work…they really, truly were awesome.”
Since certifying in 2019, Amber and Scott have deployed on the following missions:
- June 22, 2022 – Structure Collapse – Yarmouth, IA
- May 28, 2023 – Building Collapse – Davenport, IA
- May 22, 2024 – Tornado – Greenfield, IA
We look forward to watching this team continue to grow together and continue their life-saving work. Thank you both for your service!