The Plague Dogs facts for kids
The Plague Dogs is an exciting adventure novel written by Richard Adams in 1977. Richard Adams is also famous for his popular book, Watership Down. Just like Watership Down, The Plague Dogs was made into a movie in 1982. The story is about two brave dogs who escape from a laboratory and try to survive in the wild.
The Story of Rowf and Snitter
The main characters of the story are two dogs named Rowf and Snitter. Rowf is a strong Labrador-mix, and Snitter is a quick Smooth Fox Terrier. They live in a place called ARSE, which is a laboratory where animals are studied.
One day, Rowf and Snitter manage to escape from the laboratory. They find themselves in the beautiful Lake District in England, which is where the story takes place. There, they meet a clever fox named Tod. Tod helps them learn how to live and find food in the wild.
As they try to survive, Rowf and Snitter have many adventures. However, people in the area start to believe that the dogs might carry a dangerous sickness called the bubonic plague. Because of this misunderstanding, sheep farmers and even the army begin to hunt them. The dogs must try to stay safe and find a new home.
Main Characters
Rowf
Rowf is a black Labrador-mix. He is a bit grumpy and thinks that most humans are not good. He doesn't really trust Tod, the fox, and sometimes thinks Snitter is acting strangely. Rowf is also very afraid of water and tries to avoid it whenever he can.
Snitter
Snitter is a Smooth Fox Terrier. While he was at the laboratory, he had an operation on his brain. This makes him sometimes confused, and he might dream even when he is awake. Snitter misses his old owner, Adam Wood, who was hurt in an accident. He is always hoping to find a new kind owner. Unlike Rowf, Snitter likes Tod and is happy to have him as a friend.
Tod
Tod is a very smart fox who lives in the hills of the Lake District. He is a great help to Rowf and Snitter. Tod teaches them how to find food and stay safe in the wild, helping them survive their adventures.
Adam Wood
Adam Wood was Snitter's kind owner. In the book, he gets a broken leg and a head injury while saving Snitter from a truck. He doesn't die in the book, but in the movie, it seems like he might have passed away because he only appears in Snitter's memories.
The Sheepdogs
Don and Wag are two sheepdogs who live in the Lake District. They get annoyed with Rowf and Snitter when the two escaped dogs try to "herd" sheep. Rowf and Snitter are just trying to impress the sheepdogs' owner, but they end up chasing the sheep and scaring them instead.
