Family Dog Lost On Boy's 9th Birthday Home With Help From LI Community

SHOREHAM, NY — A Shoreham family's lost dog was found in just about two hours Tuesday — just in time to celebrate their son's 9th birthday.

Steven Alessi posted on the Shoreham-Wading River Community Group Facebook page Tuesday afternoon. "We are in need of help," he said. "We just moved to Shoreham a little over a month ago. I’m not sure how, but our dog, Louie, got out of our fenced-in backyard."

Louie, about 10-to-12 pounds, is a black Schnoodle.

"He's never gotten away in 12 years," he said. "He is very friendly and wouldn’t harm anybody. Very affectionate."

Alessi added: "Any help is much appreciated since he is a huge part of our family and to make matters worse, it’s my son’s 9th birthday today."

Within minutes, the community galvanized. Alessi said the outpouring and offers of help were extraordinary. "I'm floored by this whole thing," he said. "So many people reached out to help."

Alessi is planning to thank the community through a post on social media.

After Louie got lost, Alessi said he and his daughter's babysitter searching, with the babysitter's boyfriend also walking through the neighborhood.

Caring residents reached out with sightings on Facebook, telling Alessi where to look, until he found the pup and cornered him, finally catching him. Even the Suffolk County Police called to say the dog had been spotted, he said.

Alessi, who moved from Blue Point with his family just over a month ago, said that his former close-knit community, too, would have done all they could to help a lost pet.

"But this!" he said. "People just came outside, met me on the edge of the road. They were so amazingly helpful."

As for his son, Alessi said although he was searching for the lost pup, he ran to pick him up at the school bus stop. Then, he said, the phone call came saying that their beloved Louie had been found.

Louie, he said, "is such a mush."

Alessi had a message for the community: "I'm just amazed at the outpouring of support," he said. "Thank you for reaching out."

His son, he added, received the best birthday gift of all.