WBUR · WBUR · September 8, 2026
A frantic search for Milly, a 17-year-old blind and deaf dog who had wandered away from her fenced-in yard on Ashmont Hill home on Monday, ended happily for all parties after neighbors and firefighters from Peabody Square’s Engine 18 house came to the rescue some four hours later.
The most relieved were the members of Milly’s family: Sarah Groh, her husband, Brian Stockless, and their kids. “She was playing in the backyard with our kids. It’s fenced in, but my husband realized the gate might not have been latched,” said Groh. “She just found her way out and made her way down the street. I think then she got a little confused about how to find her way back, and she spent almost four hours strolling around the neighborhood.”
Milly, who is part chihuahua, dachshund, and terrier, also has a heart condition. Navigating a busy Dot Ave. is hard enough for anyone, never mind a petite senior dog with health conditions.
Groh, who serves as chief of staff for Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, says she knew she could count on her many friends and neighbors in the Ashmont community to help her find Milly, whom she took-in as a rescue 15 years ago.
“My husband and I were searching every yard in the neighborhood and casting a pretty wide net,” explained Groh. “A couple of hours in, we started running into every person we would approach, and we would say, ‘Hey, have you seen this dog?’ and they would be asking us, too, because they were already out looking.
“The whole neighborhood really rallied to find her,” she added. “There were kids out looking and grandparents and so many people who were trying to help make sure she made it home safely.”
For a while, things weren’t looking too good; no sign of Milly. But Groh and her helpers kept at it, with some neighbors jumping in to watch their two kids, four and two.
“Dorchester did what Dorchester does,” said Pressley. “People made up flyers, canvassed, and neighbors and volunteers came together.”
Finally, a group finishing up brunch at The Mix on Talbot Avenue saw Milly outside and attempted to lure her inside. While they were unsuccessful, a nearby good Samaritan called in firefighters across the street for backup and they were able to entice Milly into their arms.
A neighbor called Groh and Stockless with the good news. “My husband and I sprinted down, and she was sitting there happy as a clam with a plate of steak,” said Groh. “It took six firefighters and a steak to rescue her. It was a very happy ending.”
Groh credits her neighbors for the outcome. “Dorchester is just so special, and we are so grateful,” explained Groh. “I feel like daily I am reminded why this community is so special, and yesterday was no exception. To really see people pausing their day, it was a beautiful day out; it was Labor Day, and people just set aside whatever they were doing, left their barbecue, left their yard work, and some of our neighbors were out for hours looking for our dog.
“I’m just so grateful. It’s really a special place. I feel like this is why we are so proud to call Boston home, so proud to call Dorchester home.”
As to Milly: She got a peaceful night of sleep, and maybe had a dream about a fire station featuring steak bites.
WBUR and the Dorchester Reporter have a partnership in which the news organizations share resources to collaborate on stories. This story was originally published by the Dorchester Reporter.