IOWA CITY – We have been following the story of Shirley Chong and her service dog, Hunter, from the beginning. The dog ran away from Chong's parents ten days ago. That started a big search in the Iowa City area. Local people and others from around the world offered help. Monday morning, with the aid of another dog, they found Hunter.

Chong is excited to have Hunter back home. The Grinnel woman had not been thinking straight for the last 10 days. Chong said, “It was like this big white space had taken place in my brains. You could hear the air whistling through the middle."

Chong's friends from around the world found a pet detective from Wyoming. Cathy Orde and her dog, Zoe, came to Iowa City Friday to start the search. Zoe picked up on Hunter's scent right away. Orde said, “I brought Zoe up on the tracks and she immediately started pulling, running down the train tracks."

It took three days to catch Hunter. Orde says he was scared off by adults, but he liked Zoe. Orde said, “Zoe went up to him and pushed him. She put her head on his rear-end and shoved him down the hill."

Once off the train tracks, Hunter had a short run into the arms of his loving mother. Chong said, “It's wonderful. It's wonderful to have him back."

Everyone returned to the Coralville hotel where they had been staying over the weekend. Hunter was relaxed and calm as if nothing happened. Chong admits she was hysterically worried. But that washed away as soon as she saw hunter.

There is more good news for Chong. Her doctor says she is recovering well from eye surgery. Hunter ran away when Chong was on the operating table. As for Orde, she has a couple requests for help in Nebraska and her home state of Wyoming.

Email Steve Nicoles at Steve.Nicoles@kcrg.com