Golden retriever puppy Heidi was shot to death in a rural Maryland town the morning of Jan. 4, and her owners are frantically looking for help finding her killer.

The seven-month-old dog died after being shot four times at close range--once in the head--and Frederick County, Md., authorities are on the hunt for the sick person who killed her.

Heidi's owner Lynnette Kaufmann posted a flier on Facebook on Jan. 17 asking for people's help finding her puppy's killer. It provides some details of the death, three very cute photos of the pooch, and information about Goldheart Golden Retriever Rescue, which has set up a reward fund for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of whoever committed the crime.

Someone out there knows who did this. We are begging for your help, the flier pleads.

You can help find Heidi's killer by donating to the Goldheart reward fund, visit www.GoldHeart.org or calling 410-877-9697, and anyone with information about the slay should call Frederick County Animal Control officials at 30-600-1544.

The golden retriever puppy lived with Kaufmann in Middletown, Md., until Heidi was killed while playing outside on her property earlier this month in a crime so evil it has sparked a movement to create a law to protect other families from suffering a similar loss in the future.

Dubbed Heidi's Law, it would set up the nation's first state registry of people who have been convicted of neglecting, abusing or killing animals.

The bill was introduced by Maryland state Senator Ron Young as a way to keep track of people who harm animals by posting their photographs and addresses to a registry for a decade after they are convicted, which could then be used to ensure they are not able to purchase a pet.

I'm not trying to brand someone for life, just to put the warning flag up and keep pets away from them, Young told local TV station WLJA. Humane societies and pet stores and such could check the registry and not allow an abuser to have another pet.

Kaufmann also choked back tears while speaking with WLJA about Heidi's murder.

I really look at this bill as a legacy of hope where Heidi will live on and help prevent this from happening to someone else's animal, Kaufmann told the station.

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