This fun news story, The Amazing Adventure of Amber the Dog, is written for English students. It helps children practise their English reading and comprehension, build vocabulary, and discover incredible real-life events. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates exciting and educational news articles for English learners.
A dog on the run
Amber doesn’t just go on walks, she goes on epic adventures! After escaping from her foster home in the New Forest, England, Amber disappeared for more than a month! She was missing for 36 days and is believed to have travelled nearly 100 miles through forests, towns and fields.
Amber had only just arrived in the UK from Qatar, where she had lived most of her life in a shelter. She was rescued and sent to England by a charity called KS Angels Rescue. But just one day after arriving at her new foster home, Amber ran off.
Swimming to safety
There were more than 60 sightings of Amber across the New Forest. Eventually, she made it to the coast, and that’s when things got really wild.
It seems that she got bored with walking and decided to take to the water instead. Amber ended up swimming for at least 200m across Poole Harbour in Dorset to Brownsea Island.
A kind person on the island saw her and started leaving food out. Amber stayed on the island for four days before trying to swim back again.
This time, a ferry crew spotted her in the water. At first, they thought she was a seal, but when they realised she was a dog, they quickly rescued her. One of the crew members even jumped into the water to help pull her out.
Back on dry land
After all her adventures, Amber was taken to a local vet for a check-up. She was tired and had lost weight, but overall, she was in good health. Now she’s safe and sound, back with her new family and enjoying some well-earned rest and extra meals!
Read more and watch a video about Amber here.
Article vocabulary list
- Foster home – a temporary home for a pet until a permanent one is found
- Shelter – a place that looks after homeless animals
- Rescue – to save someone or something from danger
- Spotted – seen or noticed
- Coast – the land next to the sea
- Harbour – a place where boats are kept near the shore
- Vet – an animal doctor
- Adopt – to take an animal into your home to care for it
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. Where did Amber come from before arriving in the UK?
A. Egypt
B. Qatar
C. Italy
Answer: B) Qatar
2. How long was Amber missing?
A. 10 days
B. 25 days
C. 36 days
Answer: C) 36 days
3. What kind of transport rescued Amber from the water?
A. A helicopter
B. A ferry
C. A lifeboat
Answer: B) A ferry
4. What is the name of the island Amber swam to?
A. Treasure Island
B. Brownsea Island
C. Rabbit Island
Answer: B) Brownsea Island
5. What did Amber enjoy when she got back home to her family?
A) A big bone
B) Rest and extra meals
C) Lots of walks
Answer: B) Rest and extra meals
Sinead is a writer and EFL teacher with eight years’ experience. She’s a native English speaker who loves making news stories fun and easy to understand for children around the world. Her passions include travel, animals, and helping to make the world a kinder, more sustainable place.
