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The Plague Dogs
by
Richard Adams, the author of Watership Down, creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, Snitter and Rowf.
After being horribly mistreated at a government animal research facility, Snitter and Rowf escape into the isolation, and terror, of the wilderness. Aided only by a fox they call ''the Tod,'' the two dogs ...more
After being horribly mistreated at a government animal research facility, Snitter and Rowf escape into the isolation, and terror, of the wilderness. Aided only by a fox they call ''the Tod,'' the two dogs ...more
Kindle Edition, 390 pages
Published
November 3rd 2010
by Ballentine Books
(first published September 22nd 1977)
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Nov 07, 2011
Libbie Hawker (L.M. Ironside)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
general-fiction,
animal-fiction
I hated this book. I will never read it again, ever, as long as I live. And it absolutely deserves five stars.
The Plague Dogs is one of the most visceral, wrenching, emotional reads you'll ever find. It follows the fortunes of two dogs, Snitter and Rowf, who escape from a medical testing lab. In an attempt to cover up the unnecessary nature of the research done there, the humans running the lab start a media scare about the dogs, claiming that they carry a serious virus which may kill humans. In ...more
The Plague Dogs is one of the most visceral, wrenching, emotional reads you'll ever find. It follows the fortunes of two dogs, Snitter and Rowf, who escape from a medical testing lab. In an attempt to cover up the unnecessary nature of the research done there, the humans running the lab start a media scare about the dogs, claiming that they carry a serious virus which may kill humans. In ...more

DNFing at 38 pages in. I left 2 instead of 1 star, because it’s not bad writing, but I quickly realized this wasn’t going to be a book for me. Not sure why I ever added it in the first place, to be honest. The animal abuse and despair is too much and I’m just getting started, so yeah I’m gonna save myself a LOT of heartache and move on to another book!

I really enjoy Richard Adams. Part of it is his writing - he has an excellent style and a definite gift for description. When he talks about a place, it is immediately obvious that he's actually been there. He uses multiple senses to tell you what a place looks, sounds and smells like, the feeling of the damp earth and the rolling mists, the tastes that seep through the air.... Not surprising when one is writing a book where a pair of dogs are the primary characters.
And that's another reason I l ...more
And that's another reason I l ...more

I have to disagree with the reviewer who says this is not realistic. I worked in a government lab in California only 2 years ago. Things have *not* changed. There are simply more organizations and welfare groups that have no actual say in day to day operations of labs. It's up to researchers and workers to follow the rules daily, and they always know when the inspections will happen.
Also, animal labs do use and buy animals from shelters for experiments. Back in 2006 for sure, Ingham County Anima ...more
Also, animal labs do use and buy animals from shelters for experiments. Back in 2006 for sure, Ingham County Anima ...more

"What's a harangue?"
"Well, a harangue," said Mr. Powell, "it's sort of – well, if I make a very intense, excited sort of speech, about animals or something – "
Well, I've been harangued thoroughly by mr. Adams on the subject of scientific experiments on animals. [not a spoiler] Adams is clearly against it, in all circumstances.
An author is of course entitled to be passionate about his subject, it's even a desirable trait, and I am a big fan of several of his other novels. But with "The Plague D ...more
"Well, a harangue," said Mr. Powell, "it's sort of – well, if I make a very intense, excited sort of speech, about animals or something – "
Well, I've been harangued thoroughly by mr. Adams on the subject of scientific experiments on animals. [not a spoiler] Adams is clearly against it, in all circumstances.
An author is of course entitled to be passionate about his subject, it's even a desirable trait, and I am a big fan of several of his other novels. But with "The Plague D ...more

Emotionally over wrought and not very well anchored in the reality of research. This type of book has lead to people believing all labs just use any animal of any type for prurient vivisection. I work in labs and there are no animals not bred for lab use by specialists. To compare results the animals must be very limited in their genetic diversity they are not common pet store animals. Of course most were mice but there were rats and rabbits in some labs. My own work with mice was to create knoc
...more

Oct 27, 2016
Elizabeth☮
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
recent-reads,
never-forget
I rarely re-visit books that I start and don't complete in one try. I am so glad that I received this in a book exchange and returned to the adventures of Snitter and Rowf.
These two dogs find themselves in a facility that performs various experiments on all manner of animals. I won't go into details here, but if you are sensitive to this issue, I would recommend skimming certain portions of the book.
Snitter had an owner in his life before the facility and longs to return to this loving environm ...more
These two dogs find themselves in a facility that performs various experiments on all manner of animals. I won't go into details here, but if you are sensitive to this issue, I would recommend skimming certain portions of the book.
Snitter had an owner in his life before the facility and longs to return to this loving environm ...more

2015 Reading Challenge--week 7: Nonhuman characters.
Well, that was quite an adventure! Not as well done as Adams' more popular classic, Watership Down, perhaps but still well worth reading.
Two badly-treated dogs, Rowlf and Snitter, escape from Animal Research, Scientific and Experimental lab (A.R.S.E.--gotta love it!), in the beautiful English Lake District. The dogs have no idea how to survive in the wild but fortunately make friends with a wise fox (tod) who gives them advice and warnings. T ...more
Well, that was quite an adventure! Not as well done as Adams' more popular classic, Watership Down, perhaps but still well worth reading.
Two badly-treated dogs, Rowlf and Snitter, escape from Animal Research, Scientific and Experimental lab (A.R.S.E.--gotta love it!), in the beautiful English Lake District. The dogs have no idea how to survive in the wild but fortunately make friends with a wise fox (tod) who gives them advice and warnings. T ...more

If you have known me for any period time, you probably know that Watership Down is my all time favorite novel. So, you may be surprised to learn that I have just now read The Plague Dogs. That's odd, right? You would think I would be practically falling over myself to read this, and I did try to, years ago. I think I was in high school when I bought my first copy, and I couldn't even finish the first chapter. This may have been one of my earliest DNFs.
Before I read Watership Down I saw the film ...more
Before I read Watership Down I saw the film ...more

Oct 14, 2007
C.L.
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Inteligent Readers
Bit of a spoiler following as I am discussing the book, itself, not just the jacket. Also, much of the book resembles the animated film, but the ending is entirely different--the film stops while the novel keeps going.
This novel chronicles medical experimentation in horrific detail. It is depressing, as many have said, but what makes it depressing is that it forces the reader to face profoundly shameful things that happen, or have happened, quite frequently, things that we allow or have allowed ...more
This novel chronicles medical experimentation in horrific detail. It is depressing, as many have said, but what makes it depressing is that it forces the reader to face profoundly shameful things that happen, or have happened, quite frequently, things that we allow or have allowed ...more

I started this book at least ten times before I could read past the first chapter. This book will destroy the heart of any animal lover. It is the story of two animals that escape from an animal testing lab from the point of view of the animals. While the writing can be hard to absorb as Adams tries to show the mental condition of the characters, the tale is well worth the read. It seems to me to be a good way to step out of what we know and see the world from a different set of eyes.

Watership Down is one of my favorite books. If this too wasn't written by Richard Adams, I would've set it aside -- a book about escaped lab animals is sure to end predictably and badly, right? Despite that and despite Adams admitting that he could be preachy, this audiobook definitely worthwhile, entertaining as well as educational. Performer Ralph Cosham brought it further to life in the best way!
...more

Nov 08, 2019
Chana
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
animal-stories,
british
Would that every person and animal in this world were safe and loved, had enough food and shelter, were treated well and had no enemies trying to maim or kill them.

There are a lot of things not to like about this book. It seems to go against everything your average Eng Lit graduate would consider ‘good’ writing. It’s rambling, overwritten, loosely edited and willfully biased. It’s peppered with gratuitous literary references, weighed down by lengthy passages of leaden political satire, and the whole thing has the slightly ponderous air of the kind of book a retired civil servant would write. (Which is perhaps appropriate because that’s exactly what Adams w
...more

It's not that this isn't a well written, thought provoking book. It is both of those things. It just isn't the kind of book that I like to read, because it's just too...sad. Too painful. Too much for me, with my delicate sensibilities.
It is, in fact, quite a good book. If you like Richard Adams, or if you do not like animal testing and are looking to get emotionally charged up about it, this would be a good book to read. If you are extremely sensitive about unreasonable abuse/violence to animal ...more
It is, in fact, quite a good book. If you like Richard Adams, or if you do not like animal testing and are looking to get emotionally charged up about it, this would be a good book to read. If you are extremely sensitive about unreasonable abuse/violence to animal ...more

Oct 22, 2007
Bess
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
those who enjoyed Watership Down
Shelves:
animals
One of the saddest books I have ever read. As an animal lover, especially somone who loves dogs it was very hard to finish-but the ending was appropriate and Adams's gift for storytelling helps soften the blow at the end of the journey.
It did make me hate scientists for awhile, though. ...more
It did make me hate scientists for awhile, though. ...more

Jul 24, 2013
Bionic Jean
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
animals,
read-authors-a-b
Gruelling fantasy with a serious underlying message.

Prepare your tissues just in case... I get always very emotional when it comes to animals so when something happens in a lab that conducts tests on them and the two main canine characters remind me of my own dogs, my eyes get very misty.
But let's talk about the structure first. The book follows multiple participants on the plot so there are moments in which we follow the two main charaters who are dogs and experience their inner life (I wish my dogs could hold meaningful conversations like that ...more
But let's talk about the structure first. The book follows multiple participants on the plot so there are moments in which we follow the two main charaters who are dogs and experience their inner life (I wish my dogs could hold meaningful conversations like that ...more

Oh my, what a journey. To shortly describe the plot, this book is the tale of two dogs who escape their looming demise at an animal research facility and afterwards try to survive in the wilderness of the Lake District in northern England and by doing so they unintentionally cause quite the uproar. In addition to the two dogs they are joined by a fox and large parts of the book are also written from the point of view of human characters, scientists, journalists, farmers and even politicians all
...more

The Plague Dogs
I honestly do not know if I should recommend this book or warn people off of it.
It is a good book but any violence towards dogs, pets in general rubs me the wrong way and this degree of neglect, torture in the name of science etc is extreme.
Note, the true message is awesome. The writing is superb, I have seldom disliked so many characters so violently!
The plot line is intricate and flawless.
But....the poor puppies. Even the rats got to me and trust me, rats, spiders, mice etc s ...more
I honestly do not know if I should recommend this book or warn people off of it.
It is a good book but any violence towards dogs, pets in general rubs me the wrong way and this degree of neglect, torture in the name of science etc is extreme.
Note, the true message is awesome. The writing is superb, I have seldom disliked so many characters so violently!
The plot line is intricate and flawless.
But....the poor puppies. Even the rats got to me and trust me, rats, spiders, mice etc s ...more

This is probably the bleakest book I've read all year. It tells the tale of two dogs, Rowf and Snitter, who manage to escape from an animal research facility. The experiments that are being carried out at the facility are barbaric and make for tough reading.
The damaged past that Rowf and Snitter have faced impacts their current lives too, and Rowf has a deep-rooted mistrust of mankind. On the other hand, Snitter suffers from some kind of hallucinations or visions, and some of these seem to be st ...more
The damaged past that Rowf and Snitter have faced impacts their current lives too, and Rowf has a deep-rooted mistrust of mankind. On the other hand, Snitter suffers from some kind of hallucinations or visions, and some of these seem to be st ...more

After I read Watership Down (30 years ago), I remember picking this book up and... immediately put it down just after the preface. I really should have listened to my younger self.
This book is... meh. The two main characters (the dogs) are somewhat interesting, all but two of the (surviving) human characters stick in my memory. The dogs have an adventure, but it's aimless, and doesn't seem to go anywhere. It's like the author wanted to do a travel guide to the Lake District rather than a novel. ...more
This book is... meh. The two main characters (the dogs) are somewhat interesting, all but two of the (surviving) human characters stick in my memory. The dogs have an adventure, but it's aimless, and doesn't seem to go anywhere. It's like the author wanted to do a travel guide to the Lake District rather than a novel. ...more

Rowf, a big, shaggy, black mongrel dog, and Snitter, a black and white fox terrier, are experimental animals at the Animal Research Station--Scientific & Experimental (A.R.S.E.) Rowf was born there, but Snitter once had a loving master and a happy home, until his master was struck by a lorry in an accident that Snitter blames himself for. The two dogs, living in adjoining pens, have become friends, and share their experiences: Rowf is daily nearly drowned in a tank of water, while Snitter has ha
...more

This book was a major disappointment after loving Watership Down and Tales From Watership Down.
There were a lot of humans in this book. It clouded things quite a bit. In Watership Down we are taken into a new world because the rabbits are wild and they have their own folk-lore, language and interesting little bits of culture. In this book, however, the dogs only know man. They do not know the wild or nature. This keeps the story from truly captivating the reader by bringing him into a different ...more
There were a lot of humans in this book. It clouded things quite a bit. In Watership Down we are taken into a new world because the rabbits are wild and they have their own folk-lore, language and interesting little bits of culture. In this book, however, the dogs only know man. They do not know the wild or nature. This keeps the story from truly captivating the reader by bringing him into a different ...more

Can we, and is there a point in trying to, draw direct equivalents between the Western Canon and a furry one? We could say, for instance, that Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach is the furry New Testament, with its many passages about Jesus. Following that train of thought, maybe the Old Testament could be Watership Down, which gave new life to the concept of talking animals as acceptable subjects of serious literature, being arguably the first example since George Orwell's 1945 Animal
...more

Jul 25, 2008
Jim
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Animal lovers
Well where to start. I've had this book for about 10 years now, and never got around to reading it completely until now. There's some characters that talk in their native dialect (think a heavy scottish accent) and the author has written their speech the way it would sound. I think this was the reason I had originally stopped reading so many years ago. Really though, once you catch on to the words (and there's actually a glossary included) it's not so bad. There's only a few characters who speak
...more

Feb 09, 2012
Stefan Yates
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
general-fiction,
stefan-dusty-bookshelf-2012
If 1/2 stars were available I'd give this book a 2 1/2 instead of 3 star rating. It's not that it was all that terribly bad, I just felt that it was incredible average and quite honestly blah in parts. From what I have heard, and read myself, I feel that this is definitely the low point in Richard Adams' writing.
I think that my two main problems with this book are first the amount of space that Adams uses to push his political agenda down the reader's throat. While I totally agree that the inhum ...more
I think that my two main problems with this book are first the amount of space that Adams uses to push his political agenda down the reader's throat. While I totally agree that the inhum ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Animal-Lover ...: * January-April 2021 Read - The Plague Dogs | 1 | 3 | Jan 27, 2021 02:01PM | |
Dog Lovers Book Club: THE PLAGUE DOGS | 12 | 9 | Apr 16, 2020 05:32AM | |
2015 Reading Chal...: The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams | 8 | 70 | Mar 01, 2015 09:55AM | |
watership down or plague dogs. | 5 | 53 | Feb 26, 2014 06:15PM |
Adams was born in Newbury, Berkshire. From 1933 until 1938 he was educated at Bradfield College. In 1938 he went up to Worcester College, Oxford to read Modern History. On 3 September 1939 Neville Chamberlain announced that the United Kingdom was at war with Germany. In 1940 Adams joined the British Army, in which he served until 1946. He received a class B discharge enabling him to return to Worc
...more
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