Homeless Veteran With PTSD Reunited With His Stolen Service Dog
Mike Heath and his Baby are back together again. After two months of separation, the homeless veteran and his stolen service dog Baby have been reunited thanks to the kindness of some good Samaritans and the police.
Heath is a Vietnam vet with PTSD. He got Baby, his 10-year-old Shih-poo from a doctor to help him cope with the PTSD and they’ve been best friends ever since. Heath described Baby as “very cute and calm,” “a kisser” and “a lover.”
“Flashbacks being one of the worst – where I think, I think the enemy is after me,” Heath told KARE 11. “So I really need him. And he’s been with me every day of his life, so he really needs me too.”
Heath was devastated. He immediately did everything he could to get Baby back. He started sleeping in his car to save money for a $200 reward and put up posters near where he thought the other man lived.
Because Baby’s so sweet and is such a good dog, Heath was worried that new people would fall in love with Baby and wouldn’t want to return him. But Heath hoped that someone would hear his story and do the right thing.
Heath said he couldn’t sleep all night after finding out that he and Baby were going to be reunited. “I’m just happy,” Heath told KARE 11. “Happy that he’s healthy and happy.”