Dramatic irony
Readers know that the letter read by Mrs. Oaks is not complete because the second page was accidentally burnt. The first page indicates that Mr. Longridge will go out with the pets, and the second page indicates he will return the pets during the day and leave at night for animal exploration. However, Mrs. Oaks reads the first page and assumes Mr. Longridge went with the pets. Mrs. Oaks does not know the pets sneaked at night to start a long journey to Ontario. Mrs. Oaks gets angry with Mr. Longridge because she cannot bond with Bodger. Ironically, Mr. Longridge returned the pets before leaving for his exploration. Therefore, the author keeps Mr. Longridge and Mrs. Oaks in the dark but he tells readers exactly what happened to cause the eminent confusion.
The irony of the pets covering 300 miles
When Longridge looks at the map the pets used to traverse the dangerous terrains in the forest, he concludes that they will not make it alive. The pets must cover 300 miles on foot. In addition, the pets must pass through dangerous forests full of predators. Longridge also knows that Bodger is too old to make it because he has advanced age. Paradoxically, the pets maneuver tactically through dangerous terrains and predators. For instance, Tao's life is endangered when the lynx tries to eat her. Bodger also falls ill, but Luath does everything possible to help him recover. Ironically, the pets cover 300 miles (482) through dangerous terrains to arrive safely in Ontario, Canada.
The doubting in the Hunter family
The members of the Hunter family believe that the lost pets are gone and they will never return. Only Elizabeth is optimistic that they will one day reunite with their pets. When Elizabeth tells Longridge that she senses the arrival of Tao and the two other pets, he dismisses her because all members have already given up. Ironically, the pets resurface after a few days in Ontario and join up with their human family.
