Rowf (a Labrador-mix) and Snitter (a smooth fox terrier) are two of many dogs used for experimental purposes at an animal research facility in the Lake District of north-western England. Snitter has had his brain experimented upon while Rowf has been drowned and resuscitated repeatedly. One evening, Snitter squeezes under the netting of his cage and into Rowf's, where they discover his cage is unlatched. Eager to escape the tortures of life inside the facility, they explore, knocking over other cages and finally sneaking into the incinerator, where they are nearly killed before escaping.
Initially relieved and eager to experience their new freedom, the dogs are soon faced not only with the realities of life in the wild but with another more terrifying realisationâthey are being hunted by their former captors. They come to reluctantly befriend 'The Tod', a Geordie-accented fox, in order to obtain food in the wild, initially farm sheep grazing on the local hills. Snitter hopes for a new home, but after accidentally killing a man by stepping onto the trigger of his gun as he climbs up to him, he too loses hope. As time passes they both grow thin and bony, having to steal more and more food: The Tod assists them by distracting a lab-hired gunman who then falls to his death; his corpse is beset upon by the hungry pair. As they wander about aimlessly, the 3rd battalion Parachute Regiment and the media are roped into the pursuit, driven by rumours of the pair carrying bubonic plague and murdering sheep and even humans.
The Tod parts with them as the pursuers close in, telling them he's got "a few more tricks" up his sleeve, but he is quickly wounded and killed. Snitter and Rowf hear his final scream from a train they board, but neither wants to believe that he's been killed: "They'll never catch him, he's too crafty." As they go, Snitter smells the sea, and decide that it is their last hope. On the beach of Ravenglass, Snitter looks out over the water and claims to see the island. Without a second thought, Snitter strolls in the sea and begins to swim towards the island. Rowf on the other hand, is very hesitant to follow him. His intense fear of water/drowning has stranded him on the shore, all the while armed troops are quickly closing in. Desperate to escape the troops, he jumps in and catches up with Snitter. Two gunshots are fired at them but appear to miss; immediately a white mist appears and the humans all disappear. They begin to swim away into the mist towards the island Snitter claims to see but Rowf can't spot. The dogs swim and swim and swim, until at last, Snitter claims that the island was an illusion due to his operation and begins to let himself drown. Rowf however, claims to finally spot the island and urges Snitter to continue; "Just stay with me...I'll get you there."
The film ends with the dogs swimming into the fog, leaving it ambiguous as to whether they survived or not, an island is shown during the credits.
What does Rowf have a fear of?
water/drowning