KEY POINTS:
Louis is home - and dog-sitter Edmond Stack's secret is out.
The Irishman had been desperately searching for black coat retriever Louis since he disappeared from Mr Stack's boss's Parnell home on New Year's Eve.
He believes the dog was spooked by fireworks and escaped through a gap in the fence. He was found yesterday with a Mangere family who found him on New Year's Day.
Mr Stack kept Louis' missing status from his owners, who are honeymooning in Europe, while posting hundreds of flyers and offering a $1000 reward for the six year-old's return. He also placed an advertisement in the news section of the Weekend Herald.
Mr Stack feared the owners would cut short their honeymoon if they found out Louis was missing.
The couple, who Mr Stack did not want to identify, would send their dog postcards and text how much they were missing him.
"I would text back, 'He misses you, too'. It wasn't a lie. Louis would be missing them wherever he was."
Mr Stack also started thinking about his job as a project manager for Louis' owner at an Auckland property company. Last night he ordered Louis a "huge meat platter" from a restaurant and said the dog would not be leaving his side.
The man who adopted Louis was last night missing the dog.
Sali Bosala took a shine to Louis after his sister-in-law brought him home. She had seen Louis in the carpark outside McDonald's where she worked overnight on December 31. When he was still there in the morning, she took him home.
Mr Bosala said he contacted the police but did not make further efforts to find the owner.
A relative recognised Louis on a flyer in Onehunga yesterday and contacted Mr Stack, who said he would pay the $1000 reward.
"It's nothing compared to having him back. It's just fantastic."
The owners are due home at the end of this month and Mr Stack is tossing up whether to tell them about the doggie drama before their return.
