Zippo, aged 15 (Mark Cummings), and his younger sister Nelly (Alex Stead), live a tough lifestyle. Their home is broken, school is optional and their father Les (Tony Howard), is too wasted to notice what they get up to. But a ray of light, in their otherwise dark existence, suddenly appears when they find a beaten up dog that has been dumped by a roadside. The dog, whom they name â??Carlos', is quickly adopted by both Zippo and Nelly as they nurse him back to full fitness. Despite him showing menacing tendencies whenever someone threatens, the kids are unaware that â??Carlos' has come from the brutal world of dog fighting. Zippo, in particular, finds himself at odds with authority figures, including the local cops, who know him all too well.