Iraq GI's missing dog found in Jefferson County, Colorado

It is so heart warming to read about animals that have been reunited with their families:

Heidi, the Iraqi mutt missing since Tuesday, was found safe Saturday by Julie Flint, the mother of 25-year-old Colorado Army National Guard Spec. Shawn Flint, the dog's guardian.

Heidi was found about 8 miles from the Flint family home on South Coors Street near West Quincy Avenue and C-470, Flint said in an e-mail sent to The Denver Post.

"No words can describe my emotions right now," Flint wrote.

Officers at Jefferson County Animal Control were also elated at the good news.

Two to three officers per shift had searched since Thursday for the dog, setting out one cage that they filled with Pop-Tarts and a bowl of mocha coffee in hopes of enticing the pooch inside.

Flint had told animal officials about the dog's love for blueberry Pop-Tarts, muffins and mocha (as well as cheese).

"We talked to everybody about the dog and we're really happy she was found," Officer Sharon Wright said.

Heidi was just a stray pup roaming around the gate of Camp Ar Ramadi, about 70 miles west of Baghdad, when soldiers took her in.

Spec. Flint, a 2003 graduate of Bear Creek High School, took over the care of Heidi soon after he was deployed to the base along the Euphrates River in August. He is scheduled to come home in May, his mother said.

Operation Baghdad Pups, run by SPCA International, helped fly the dog to Denver, but just a few minutes after arriving at her new Colorado home, Heidi bolted out the door, after wiggling out of her collar and leash.

Annette Espinoza: 303-954-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com Denver Post staff writer Joey Bunch contributed to this report.