James and Dick, who live in London, suddenly find themselves back and forth another dimension, a black and white world, where animals communicate with them. This happens when they fall asleep. Naturally, their first assumption is they are dreaming. But when they get up, there are physical clues to whatever happens during the dream. The same scenario is also happening to a child, Mary, who doesn't worry much like the grown ups, as she thinks she was in fact talking to animals. Then an animal sanctuary worker Emily, flies to England from Brazil in pursue of a wolfdog that was brought by a mystery person and asks James and Dick to help her foil an illegal trade that is taking place between the two countries. James, Dick and Mary, jumping in and out of this bewildering dimension, a wolfdog that makes bad jokes, the silent Saint Bernard, a mischievous fox and Emily; together they have to outwit this dreadful business which proves to be very difficult with many twists and turns.