Snoopy Come Home

On a sunny day, young Charlie Brown and his best friend, Linus Van Pelt, are having fun at the beach along with Charlie Brown's beagle, Snoopy, who is playing with boisterous Peppermint Patty. Snoopy promises Peppermint Patty that they will picnic at the beach the next day, and then returns home. Charlie Brown, who has been home for hours, grumbles about how independent Snoopy is, and, after cutting his thumb preparing Snoopy's dinner, rebukes him for being ungrateful. The following morning, Snoopy goes to the beach but is denied entry because of a new "No Dogs Allowed" sign. Infuriated, Snoopy dictates a complaint letter to his friend and secretary, Woodstock, a small, clumsy bird who rarely manages to fly in a straight line. At the beach, Peppermint Patty sits alone, wondering if she "came on too strong" and frightened Snoopy. Soon after, Charlie Brown escorts his sister Sally to the library, and Snoopy, who loves to read about bunnies, finds himself ejected due to the "no dogs allowed" policy. Grumpy and angry, Snoopy attempts to steal Linus' beloved blanket, then engages in an intense boxing match with Linus' bossy older sister Lucy. Snoopy tries to end the fight by kissing Lucy, but Lucy, who hates "dog germs," clobbers Snoopy with a well-aimed punch. Meanwhile, in a far-off hospital, Lila remembers Snoopy, whom she owned before Charlie Brown, and the lonely, sick girl writes to him, asking him to visit. Upon reading the letter, Snoopy begins to pack, much to the bewilderment of Charlie Brown, who knows nothing about Lila. Wearing his supper dish as a hat, Snoopy, with suitcase in hand and Woodstock close behind, sets off to find Lila. The two friends are denied entry at the bus depot, however, as dogs are not allowed on the buses. While Snoopy and Woodstock shiver outdoors during a rainstorm, Charlie Brown informs his friends that Snoopy is gone and shows them Lila's letter. The next day, Snoopy and Woodstock fail in their attempts to hitchhike and so continue their long trek on foot. While Lila sadly gazes out the hospital window, Charlie Brown peppers Linus with questions about the possible reasons for Snoopy's absence. Although Charlie Brown proclaims that he never thought of himself as a dog owner because he considers Snoopy a friend, Linus explains that even friends can get bored with each other. One afternoon, Snoopy is captured by an exuberant girl named Clara, who, declaring that he is a stray, uses a thick rope to tie him to her backyard fence. She also captures Woodstock as he attempts to free Snoopy and thrusts him into a cage in her room. Joyfully announcing that she now has two pets¿a sheepdog and a parrot¿Clara gives Snoopy a bath and dresses him in doll clothes. Clara then drags him to a veterinarian's office to get his shots, but after causing a commotion, Snoopy escapes and rushes to free Woodstock. Clara follows, but after a long chase, the two friends elude her and resume their journey. Meanwhile, Lucy encourages Charlie Brown to get another dog, but Charlie Brown replies that he wants only Snoopy and is determined to find out who Lila is. Peppermint Patty then arrives and takes Charlie Brown to a carnival to cheer him up, although the fast rides make him woozy. The next day, Snoopy and Woodstock attempt to board a train but are again denied access because they are animals. After a tense night during which they squabble, Snoopy and Woodstock finally reach the hospital, only to see a notice that no dogs or birds are allowed. Disguising himself as a doctor, Snoopy gains entry but is thrown out when his identity is uncovered. The pair sneaks back inside and manages to find Lila's room, where she is overjoyed to see her friend and meet Woodstock. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown paces at home with his friends, who blame Snoopy's disappearance on their own selfish behavior. Charlie Brown explains to Linus that his parents bought Snoopy for him at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm after he'd been bullied one day, then cries out in frustration, "Snoopy, come home!" At the hospital, Lila's happiness speeds her recovery as she and her friends play games and share her food. Lila, who wants Snoopy to live with her permanently, realizes that he is homesick but insists that they would be good for each other. Meanwhile, Linus calls the puppy farm and learns that Snoopy had originally been purchased by Lila's family, but when they had to move, they returned him to Daisy Hill, where he was bought by Charlie Brown's family. Charlie Brown faints upon learning that he has a "used dog," then despairs that Snoopy wants to be with Lila instead of him. On Lila's last day in the hospital, she thanks Snoopy for saving her, and they cry as they say farewell. Unable to bear Lila's tears, Snoopy agrees to live with her, and she suggests that he return to Charlie Brown to set his affairs in order. One morning, Charlie Brown is astonished to see Snoopy at his doghouse, typing a document. Snoopy gives Charlie Brown the letter, which turns out to be a will bequeathing his chess set to Linus, his record collection to Schroeder and his best wishes for the future to Charlie Brown. At a farewell party, the children pay tribute to Snoopy and give him gift-wrapped bones. Charlie Brown and Snoopy howl with grief at the thought of being parted, but Snoopy is determined to keep his promise to Lila, and so says goodbye to Charlie Brown, Woodstock and his other friends. The distraught Charlie Brown cannot reconcile himself to Snoopy's absence, however, and tells Linus that he needs more hellos in his life and fewer goodbyes. In the city, Snoopy searches for Lila's home and discovers that she lives in a high-rise apartment building that bears the familiar "No Dogs Allowed" sign. Instead of being dismayed, however, Snoopy is thrilled to have an excuse to return to Charlie Brown. Although the children are initially overjoyed to see Snoopy, they grumble when he demands the return of his possessions. After the others storm off, Charlie Brown shakes his head in resignation and Snoopy happily jumps up to the top of his dog house.