The 14th Annual
FilmMakers International
Screenwriting Awards (FISA)

Joy Bennett and her dog Doug are both 10 years old and have been best friends their entire lives. While the tomboy-like Joy’s life is just beginning, Doug’s is dwindling. He’s sick...very sick. But he’s not willing to tell Joy the seriousness of his condition until he believes she’s ready to accept it. The family cat Henry wishes to assume the role of Joy’s beloved pet but this doesn’t seem likely after a past incident involving him and Joy’s beloved goldfish places a strain on their relationship. There is no love lost whatsoever between Doug and Henry and they regularly engage in humorous battles of wit.

When their parents go away for the weekend, new babysitter Kirbie is employed with the difficult task of sitting the Bennett’s. Kirbie wishes to spend the weekend studying for her upcoming veterinarian mid-terms, leaving Joy to entertain herself.

A news report on dog kidnappings in their local area inspires Joy and Doug to launch a rescue mission. It appears that the dogs are being kidnapped to restock puppy mills in the area after the recent raids and subsequent shutdowns. When their plan gets thwarted by Kirbie they resign to spending the day playing with the boy-next-door Nick and his pug Rose. Joy and Nick exhibit early signs of a mutual little crush. Doug and Rose share a romantic history but ended things amicably not long ago due to Doug’s imminent passing.

The morning brings news of further kidnappings overnight, Rose being one of them. This time they’re finally able to escape Kirbie’s watchful eye with Henry’s help. Their first stop is the ASPCA where they release mother-and-son French Bulldogs ‘A’ and ‘B’ who believe they can lead the gang to their horrible Masters puppy “farm”. Not long into their search Doug’s health takes a turn for the worse and it forces Joy and Doug to honestly discuss the fact that Doug is dying. Although it is hard for Joy to hear, she accepts it. They both wish to spend their final adventure together finding Rose. Kirbie is successful in catching up to them but the group manage to persuade her into assisting when they prove that their collective investigation smarts found the approximate location of the farm. With Kirbie’s help they find the puppy farm and set their rescue plan into motion.