Stuart Smith, a 2002 Auburn High School graduate, will return in September from deployment in Bagdad, Iraq. Sadly, his best friend might not be home to greet him.

Smith enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 2006, leaving behind his car, his furniture and his best friend, a dog named Sasha.

To prepare for boot camp, Smith wanted to find a foster home for Sasha. That turned out to be Betsy Howe’s house on Lea Hill. With plenty of acreage and two large Labs as company, the location seemed perfect.

But Sasha, a 4-year-old neutered black Lab mix, went missing last Wednesday.

“We were going to take our daily walk to get the mail, and she just wasn’t around,” said Howe, who has taken care of Sasha for two years. “That was very unusual for her.

“Our suspicion is she’s a friendly dog and somebody took her home.”

Sasha is a stout 90 pounds, has short hair and a curly tail. She wears a red nylon collar with no tags, but she does have a microchip.

Since selecting the young puppy at the Humane Society, Smith and Sasha were inseparable. The dog accompanied Smith on boats, camping trips and to work.

With Howe, Sasha learned the life of an outdoor dog. She excelled at chasing rabbits and chewing on sticks. It was a dog’s life until last week.

Notices have been posted in the neighborhood and contact made with the countless construction workers in the area around Lea Hill’s new roundabout project and The Bridges subdivision.

Smith will be home in September to walk his sister down the aisle. Hopefully, Smith’s dog will be home safely as well.

If anyone has information about Sasha, they are asked to e-mail the Howe family at HoweHouse@comcast.net.