The Plague Dogs
Rowf, a Labrador mixed breed, was born and bred in an animal research laboratory, to be used for inhumane experiments. Snitter, a Smooth Fox Terrier, was sold to the same laboratory after it was blamed for the accidental death of its master. They helped each other to escape and found that freedom included the choice to kill or be killed.
Their woeful tale of desperation formed the story-line of the movie The Plague Dogs. The final scene had a dubious note of hope.
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After the success of his second novel ‘Watership Down’, Richard Adams wrote another one entitled The Plague Dogs. Martin Rosen, who had earlier worked on ‘Watership Down’, adapted this new novel to the screen. Using the same name as the novel, he directed and produced the movie in animated mode. In 1982, United Artists released the movie. It was rated PG-13 by the MPAA because of violent scenes in the movie. It was a movie full of gore and cruelty. If it were produced in full Technicolor live mode, it might have been banned altogether.
The main protagonists were Rowf, a black Labrador mixed breed, and Snitter, a white, chocolate and tan Smooth Fox Terrier. Rowf began life in an animal research laboratory and, in the normal course of events, would have ended its miserable existence in the incinerator. Snitter started out as a pet. After it was blamed for the death of its master in a road accident, Snitter was sold to the same laboratory, effectively sentencing it to death.
The Labrador got its name from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, where its ancestors came from. It is a big dog, standing between 57 to 62 centimeters at the withers and tipping the scales at 29 to 41 kilograms for males. It is also an extremely friendly dog, ranking as the most popular breed in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, with registration numbers at least twice that of the next most popular breed. Labradors are also favored by world leaders. The former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, has two Labradors, Seamus and Buddy. The current Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, also has a Labrador, Koni.
The Smooth Fox Terrier is one of the many terrier breeds. It was first documented as a breed in its own right in 1790 when Colonel Thornton painted a portrait of his canine companion, Pitch. Smooth Fox Terriers were originally trained for fox bolting. They would go with a pack of foxhounds on a fox hunt. The role of the Smooth Fox Terriers was to drive the foxes out of their hiding places, that is, make the foxes bolt from cover. They were intentionally bred with white coats so that they would not be shot by mistake.
In the movie The Plague Dogs, Snitter, the Smooth Fox Terrier, was not shot by mistake. Its skull was intentionally cut open. Sharp needles were intentionally inserted into its brain. All in the name of scientific research. It would have been better if a lobotomy was done on the research scientist instead. Said lobotomy preferably done without anesthesia.
If Snitter’s treatment was inhumane, what they did to Rowf was definitely demonic. The poor dog was repeatedly drowned and resuscitated. All in the name of scientific research again. The research scientist should have been drowned instead. No need for resuscitation, either.
Before their very lives were totally researched out of their frail bodies, Rowf and Snitter managed to escape. Via the incinerator, of all places. They narrowly missed being turned onto hot dogs by just the tip of a tail, so to say. Then they went out into the world of freedom. To find that freedom came with a price. They had to find food for themselves.
A fox, called The Tod, taught them survival skills. Said skills basically meant kill or be killed. After one killing too many, Rowf and Snitter had what looked like the whole army after their skins. So they ran and ran and ran. Until they came to the sea.
What to do then? Swim for it, what else. And that was how The Plague Dogs movie ended. On a dubious note of hope. Looked suspiciously like a staged setting for a sequel.
One thing, though. Do not watch this movie with your kids. It will definitely give them nightmares. Do not watch it with your dog, either. Your dog will never trust you again after watching this movie. Never trust you and never trust every single human being, too.
This is a movie which takes a sobering look at what human beings can do to innocent animals in the name of scientific research. Would be a good thing to write to your Congressman after watching The Plague Dogs DVD. Something along the line of ‘ban all inhumane research on animals in the name of science’. Preferably ban all inhuman research scientists, too.
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