A Dog's Life The Story of Tracy Beaker

# I can make my world come true All my dreams will see me through

-# It doesn't matter What may come my way...

-No! No!

# Believe me now I will win some day. #

Stop the presses!

Who wants to be in the newspaper?

-What?

-The local paper

has finally noticed my talent as a reporter.

They want to run a care home story and I suggested Tracy might write it.

-Fancy helping me dish the dirt on the Dumping Ground?

-Tracy....

no gossip and no scandal.

What? Well, what can I write about?

They want the truth about life in care, so tell them how tough it is.

It's not just hanging out with your mates playing pool.

There are deeper issues about family and loneliness, abandonment...

-all that sort of stuff.

-So we can't mention Mike's...?

-No.

-Or Shelley's... No.

-Or Elaine's got...

-No! Elaine's got what?

Look, if I was writing it, I'd go for gritty social realism.

Do you know what I mean?

Note to self. Get a dictionary...

..and a Dictaphone.

Taxi for Ms Cam Lawson.

You're late. No tip for you.

-Oh, that is rank.

-Nice to see you too, Tracy.

I'm not a dog, Gary.

It's not working.

He's lost forever.

Wait...I'm getting something.

-Roxy!

-Sticks and stones may break my bones.

But not if I break them first.

Hi, Roxy. We're looking for Layla's dog Rufus. Have you seen him?

What does he look like?

He's got soft brown fur, long ears and a pink tongue.

Not any more he hasn't.

Rufus!

ARGH-GH!

DOG BARKS

PIERCING SCREAM

What?

I needed something to keep stuff in, so I had to pull his stuffing out.

Look, he's got a lovely new collar!

And a cute little hat!

That's not a hat.

I sewed his ear back in the wrong place.

It's gonna be all right. Here...

Put this on.

-It's a charm necklace blessed with mystical powers.

-How does it work?

Close your eyes, turn around twice and make a wish.

The fairy queen appears, waves her magic wand

and turns you into a princess, I s'pose?

Don't be silly. That's my necklace with the glass beads.

One...two.

DOORBELL RINGS

-I told you the necklace was magic.

-Yeah, right.

-There's no-one there.

-So much for your stupid necklace.

Hello! Where did you come from?

-Dogs can't talk, stupid.

-She must be to replace Rufus.

The necklace worked!

"To whoever finds me,

"my owners have split up and can't look after me any more.

"They've left me here because you look after unwanted things."

Ah, she can write too!

Are you ever gonna grow a brain?

The harsh reality of life in care.

-Where are you gonna start?

-I'm not gonna write that twaddle.

-You're not?

-Don't you know how the adult mind works?

Cam wants me to write about how rubbish it is at the Dumping Ground,

so it'll make me want to move back in with her.

What will you write about?

About how fun it is living here, and what a great laugh we all have.

She can't stay here. Some potential foster parents are coming round.

-I don't want anything to put them off.

-Oh, ple-ease, Shelley?

I can't have dogs running round the place.

But she's been dumped with no-one else to look after her.

Just like us.

She's gonna need food, exercise, entertainment...

Just like us. What, are you saying we're too much hassle?

-No, I meant that...

-We could always drop her off at a rescue centre.

-Fantastic idea!

-She'll be well looked after.

-It's like here really.

A care home for dogs till they find new owners.

Won't that be great? Just like here, but not here.

But what happens to dogs that nobody wants to foster?

Well, they...

Well, um...

THEY SCREAM

What?

I only wanted them to taste my meat pie.

It was my necklace that brought her here, so we've got to help.

-Why can't she go to a rescue centre?

-If no-one wants to foster her...

Don't be daft. She'll be like us, in care until she finds a home.

But she might not find a home without our help.

Then she's in the right place. We're fostering experts!

-Think of what we can do.

-She's doomed.

-We could stick posters on lamp posts.

-OK, what's her name?

Er...she hasn't got one yet.

Daisy! That's a cow's name.

My grandma was called Daisy.

She definitely reminds me of someone.

-Oh, Tracy!

-What?

-The dog, it looks like Tracy.

-Two Beakers in one Dumping Ground.

That's gotta be bad news. Better get cracking.

Let's show this dog that she's not alone.

Is not having parents bossing you about the biggest advantage

-about living in care?

-There is Shelley.

-And Elaine.

-They tell us what to do.

-True.

Er...the food. The food here is great, isn't it?

-It was until Duke left.

-OK, OK forget that question.

Let's start with something easier.

What would you say

is your favourite thing about living at the Dumping Ground?

Second favourite thing?

This is a masterpiece. You'd need a heart of stone not to be moved by it.

-Rubbish.

-Like I said, a heart of stone.

-Just one more thing.

-Oh, please! You don't actually believe that.

One...

Two...

DOORBELL RINGS

You must be the Lucres?

Please come in. I'm Shelley Appleton.

Is it safe to leave the Ferrari there?

Oh my, yes, of course.

Only two seats? So you won't be taking anyone with you today then?

We've got a people carrier for that. You can get six in the back.

We've built a tennis court near the swimming pool.

-We'd love to have someone to share it all with us.

-When can I move in?!

Think I'll go and change my socks.

Pathetic.

-So it's a big house then?

-Huge.

-A gothic mansion with towers, spires and gargoyles.

-Sounds pretty spooky.

Oh, it is. But if you can live with the cobwebs, it's great!

-You're not helping.

-You're making the place sound like a holiday camp.

Living in care is dull and boring.

Don't you mean a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of recreation time?

We're getting somewhere. Anything else?

There's no privacy for starters.

No privacy? Don't you mean "constant care and attention"?

And people are always arguing and shouting.

Lively atmosphere.

This is good stuff. Keep it coming!

-Don't twist our words. You hate being in care.

-Oh, stop whinging.

-You came limping back from the sports academy.

-That's out of order.

-Temper, temper.

-OK, I admit it.

Living at the Dumping Ground must be absolutely brilliant.

Why else would somebody who had a chance to have a home move back?

You have to come and meet these people!

We've got a whole range of children here.

It's difficult to get them all together...

Good afternoon. My name's Rio. It's a pleasure to meet you.

May I introduce some of my friends?

Milly.

-Alice.

-How do you do?

Layla.

Pleased to meet you.

-Wolfie.

-Bonjour.

Lol.

Marco.

And this is...

-Who are you?

-Your sister.

Of course, this is Roxy.

Oh, what an adorable group of children!

I just wish I could take all of you!

If you come back with the people carrier,

-we'll be ready in...half an hour?

-Oh, and who's this?

-Are you looking to get fostered too?

-No!

Please foster her.

We couldn't leave a cute little thing like you here!

Actually, she's...

-Got fleas.

-She'll ruin your sofa!

-She isn't housetrained.

-She's vicious... She's ferocious!

ALL SHOUT AT ONCE

What's going on?

Perhaps we'd better foster a dog to start with?

-See how it goes.

-Let me get this straight.

You came to foster a child and you're leaving with a dog?

But she needs a good home.

We all do! This isn't a holiday camp. It isn't fun living here.

You have opportunity to change someone's life

and you're gonna give it to a dog?

I'm sorry. We've decided we're taking Tracy.

-Me?!

-No. Tracy...the dog.

That's her name, isn't it?

The dog is called Tracy? You named that wiry haired fleabag Tracy?

-It was her.

-It was him.

ALL SHOUT AT ONCE

Roxy! There's a present for you on the driveway.

That dog of yours must've left it. Clean it up, would you?

Alice!

# I can make my world come true All my dreams will see me through

-# And the fight won't get me down

-No! No!

# My dreams will turn things All around

# With a smile upon my face I can see a better place

-# It doesn't matter What may come my way...

-No! No!

# Believe me now I will win some day. #