A family in New Zealand was extremely worried after their senior dog went missing. However, they were left speechless when he returned home—with a touching note around his neck!

Since he was a few weeks old, Louie has been living with Marolyn Diver’s parents on their farm. The lovable shepherd dog had always been a very energetic pup, so he used to roam around the family property all day. However, things changed as Louie grew older, and now, at the age of 12, he prefers hanging out at home rather than exploring the neighborhoods.

So, when Louie went missing one day for several hours, his family was very worried, and for a good reason. It happened just when Marolyn had visited her parents, who were now frantic because they had no idea where Louie could be. But later in the afternoon, everyone was surprised to see the old dog returning home, with a handwritten note around his neck.

«He looked so exhausted and basically collapsed,» Marolyn shared with THE DODO. «We were worried someone might have hurt him. But after reading the note, I felt complete and utter relief, then my heart melted.

The note proclaimed the dog a hero.

Rob, who is also a farmer, is one of the neighbors of Marolyn’s parents, and Maddy is his little dog. Shortly after reading the note, her parents called Rob on the phone to ask for details. It turns out that Maddy was also missing that day, and after Rob searched everywhere for her, when he came home, he saw Louie in his house. The dog insisted that Rob follow him. The man trusted the dog’s instincts, and surprisingly, he led him exactly to where Maddy was.

Exhausted after the rescue, Louie could barely lift his head off the bed that day, let alone eat or drink water. His poor condition made his parents even more worried. But miraculously, everything returned to normal the next day when Rob and Maddy decided to pay them a visit.

«The next morning, Rob arrived on his bike with Maddy in a small basket at the back,» said Marolyn. «Louie perked up and returned to normal.»