The story follows the journey of three pets: two dogs, a Labrador Retriever named Luath and a Bull Terrier named Bodger, and a Siamese cat named Tao. They set out on a 250-mile journey through the Canadian wilderness to reach their human family after being separated from them.
The book is based on the real-life journey of two dogs and a cat who traveled over 200 miles to get back to their owners in Ontario, Canada. However, Burnford took some creative liberties with the story, embellishing some details and adding fictional elements to make the narrative more compelling.
While the core story is true, "The Incredible Journey" is ultimately a work of fiction, but it draws heavily from the inspiring real-life adventure of these resilient pets.