Missing pup reunited with Kentucky owner

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A year and a half ago a puppy vanished in Kentucky.
     
Her owner searched and searched but finally gave her up for gone.
     
Then a few weeks ago, the long missing pooch suddenly surfaced in New Mexico.

"Hi baby!!" Mandi Smith said.  
    
They are two words Mandi Smith never thought she would say again to her dog Puka.

"It’s weird…but it’s amazing,” Smith said. “Like I never thought I would hold her again."
    
That's because the chihuahua-daschund mix was most likely dog-napped from the front yard of the family's home in military housing in fort Campbell, Kentucky in June of 2011.
    
At the time Puka was just five months old.

"She is very well behaved…so whoever had her must not have done too bad," Smith said.

Somehow the petite pup ended up 1,200 miles away in Espanola, where she was found roaming the streets and brought to the humane society.
    
They scanned her, found a microchip and called Smith.

"That was the first thing I asked when I got the call was that is she okay, is she happy, is she healthy and lucky for me she is...she's still perfect," Smith said.
    
Smith flew in from Kentucky Wednesday morning after a volunteer at the shelter donated her frequent flier miles to make the reunion happen.
    
Melanie Lopez, Puka's foster mom, was there at the Sunport to hand her over.

"She’s a really sweet dog,” Lopez said. “She's become part of our family in three weeks."
    
Even though Lopez is sad to say goodbye she says she is thrilled Puka is going home where she belongs.

"I missed you," Smith said. “Oh my goodness I can't wait to get you home!”
 
How Puka got to New Mexico will probably be a mystery forever, but she's going to have some company back in Kentucky.
    
Since she disappeared, the Smith’s have had a fourth child and adopted a couple of German shepherds.