Napier man Doug Hodgetts' dog went missing in October, but he now has a new canine companion named Hope. Photo / Paul Taylor"I'll always pine for her, but I have to accept that she might never come back," he said.
"He's learning to trust me and I'm learning to understand him – I've only had him a few days."
Hodgetts was given the seven-month-old fox terrier-jack russell cross by a friend's daughter from Dannevirke.
"He was barking too much and the neighbours made her get rid of it," he said. "I've trained him out of that already. He doesn't do it now."
Doug Hodgetts' dog Tabitha, which is still missing. The story of Hodgetts' missing jack russell went viral around the world, and the public even offered rewards to help find his little terrier.
The Marewa resident even received a card from Norway wishing him luck finding Tabatha.
"They gave me $50, wished me a happy Christmas and hoped that I find my dog," he said.
"If this gets back to them on the other side of the world I'd like to thank them very much - it was a beautiful thing to receive."
According to Hodgetts, a friend saw the dog with a man outside the Marewa shops – but the man took off when confronted.
A letter from Norway wishing Doug Hodgetts luck with finding his dog Tabatha and $50. Photo / Paul Taylor
He said the sighting means his beloved pup may still be alive.
"It's nice to know she's not dead and is being looked after," he added.
The 80-year-old houses a recovering addict, who said they are still always thinking of the welfare of the missing pooch.
"I really hope she's being looked after and they get as much joy from Tabatha as we got from her," she said.
Tabatha is a smooth-coated jack russell with brown, black and white markings. She is microchipped and registered.
When asked how he is spending Christmas, Hodgetts said he doesn't have any plans because his car was written off in the November floods.
"I'll just be trying to stop being lonely and having Hope is one way to do that," he said.
