Does Bella Die in A Dog’s Way Home?

‘A Dog’s Way Home’ is a family drama film that follows the adventures of a pitbull dog who traverses hundreds of miles in an effort to reunite with her family. Bella gets adopted by Lucas when she’s only a young pup and steadily develops a devoted attachment to him. However, unfortunate circumstances end up taking the dog away from her beloved human. As a result, she finds herself embarking on a journey of a lifetime to make her way back to her owner. This 400-mile-long trip finds Bella facing various dangers from bloodthirsty wolf-packs to the relentless complications of city life. Still, as the canine finds new family in a variety of individuals—from a forest-bound cougar to a caring dog-loving couple—she manages to face each new challenge head-on. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Bella Survives All Her Wild Adventures

Although Bella’s story has a joyous start, with the puppy getting found and adopted by Lucas, danger soon knocks on the family’s door. Following a rivalry with Gunter, a powerful landowner, Lucas earns a chip on his shoulder. As a result, his dog, a pitbull mix, earns the unwarranted ire of Animal Control, who are eager to impound and euthanize her on the basis of the breed’s legality in the City. For the same reason, her owner ends up having to send her over to a farm for some time while he makes arrangements to move cities. Nonetheless, Bella, unaware of these plans, ends up running away from the farm with her home in Denver as her decided destination.

Initially, Bella has a hard time surviving in the woods, but she learns how to hunt from nearby towns soon enough, thanks to the help of a local pack. Yet, life throws a new curveball her way when she inadvertently ends up adopting a cougar cub whom she lovingly christens Big Kitten. This compels the dog to stay in the woods for months on end, eating fish and running away from sharp-eyed wolf packs. Nonetheless, with Big Kitten by her side, she weathers the elements just fine. Afterward, during the duo’s first winter together, Bella gets “rescued” by humans Gavin and Taylor. Still, soon enough, the pitbull abandons the home she finds with the couple and her fellow pawed pal, Dutch, to pursue her original mission of going home to Lucas.

Once Bella finds her way into the city again, she finds herself in for some unexpected hardships. On the streets, she gets adopted by Axel, a homeless veteran. Even though Axel cares for the dog and ensures she’s well-fed, he also keeps her on a leash, perpetually trapped to his side. Consequently, even though Bella cares for the man, he ends up causing her some distress. Eventually, the veteran ends up dying in his sleep near the riverbanks, while keeping the pitbull chained. This results in a truly heartbreaking time for Bella, who becomes bound by her leash just out of reach to find food and water for herself.

Fortunately, a pair of teenagers finds Bella in time to free her from her shackles and set her free once again. Even so, there’s only so much safety to be found in the woods for a dog like Bella. In time, she finds herself becoming the prey of the local wolf pack once again. However, when she’s backed into a corner, help arrives in the form of Big Kitten, who has now grown into a fully formed cougar. Thus, Bella’s old friend saves her life, and the pair fall into a camaraderie once again. After their paths diverge again, Bella finally finds herself back in Denver, excited to make her way back to Lucas.

Traversing the city is a challenge, and even results in a notable injury for Bella following a car accident. Nonetheless, even with a broken leg, the pitbull continues searching for her family—and eventually finds them at the Lucas’ workplace, the Veterans Affairs office. Ultimately, following a joyful reunion between the dog and her owner, Bella finally gets to return home. In the end, Lucas and his friends/family stand up for Bella against the Animal Control agents and successfully save her from the impound. Thus, as the family moves to Golden, where Bella can run free without unwanted attention, the dog’s dangerous adventures finally come to an end.