MANCHESTER, NH — A 7-year-old dog named Gronk is back with his family after spending more than two weeks missing in southern New Hampshire. The dog ran from his Manchester home after being startled by a delivery truck, according to animal control officials.
His return ended a search that drew in local authorities, a rescue nonprofit and firefighters from a neighboring town. Volunteers later found him in Hooksett, injured and covered with porcupine quills, before getting him to emergency veterinary care.
Animal control spent days tracking sightings after Gronk disappeared
Manchester Animal Control Officer Sophia Landrey spent several days following up on reported sightings and trying to locate the dog. Officials said Gronk was too frightened for rescuers to safely approach during the search.
That left the effort dependent on tips from residents and persistent tracking through the area. As the days passed, the search expanded beyond the immediate Manchester neighborhood where he had first run off.
Landrey eventually reached out to Granite State Dog Recovery, a nonprofit that specializes in finding lost pets. The group joined the effort as the search continued without a quick resolution.
A resident spotted the dog near railroad tracks in Hooksett
More than two weeks after he vanished, a resident saw Gronk in a wooded area near railroad tracks in Hooksett. That sighting gave rescuers their first solid lead after days of uncertainty.
Officials said the dog was injured and had porcupine quills embedded in him when he was located. The wooded terrain made the rescue more difficult, especially with the animal already hurt and wary of people.
The discovery moved the case from a missing-pet search to a medical rescue. It also confirmed that Gronk had traveled beyond Manchester into a neighboring community before being found.
Volunteers and firefighters worked through heavy rain to reach him
Granite State Dog Recovery volunteers spent more than an hour in heavy rain trying to reach Gronk. Their work was part of a coordinated effort to get close enough to safely handle the injured dog.
Members of the Hooksett Fire Department then helped remove him from the wooded area. The rescue required coordination across groups because of the terrain, the weather and Gronk’s condition.
Once they were able to secure him, rescuers moved him out of the woods and prepared him for transport. The effort showed how quickly a missing-pet case can turn into a difficult field rescue when an animal is injured and hidden in rough ground.
Emergency surgery treated injuries and removed porcupine quills
Gronk was taken to the Veterinary Emergency Center of Manchester, where he underwent emergency surgery. Veterinarians treated his injuries and removed the porcupine quills found on his body.
Those involved in the rescue said community donations helped cover the cost of the medical care. That support reduced the financial burden of the unexpected veterinary bills tied to the dog’s recovery.
The rescue effort did not end with the field search. It also depended on rapid medical treatment once Gronk reached the veterinary center, where staff handled the injuries from his time in the woods.
Gronk is home again with his family and another dog
After treatment, Gronk returned home to his family and another household dog, Loki. Manchester Animal Control Officer Sophia Landrey later made a follow-up visit to check on his recovery.
The reunion closed a stressful two-week stretch for the family and the people who helped search for him. It also capped a rescue that brought together animal control, nonprofit volunteers, firefighters and veterinary staff.
For the teams involved, the outcome was the best one possible after a long disappearance, a rough find in the woods and the need for surgery. Gronk’s safe return marked the end of a search that had stretched across town lines and several days of effort.
How the rescue came together across multiple groups
The case involved several layers of response, beginning with a frightened dog running from home and ending with a medical recovery. Manchester animal control handled the early search, while Granite State Dog Recovery brought specialized help once the initial effort stalled.
Hooksett firefighters then stepped in when volunteers reached the dog’s location and needed help getting him out of difficult terrain. Each group played a different role, from tracking and locating to extraction and transport.
The final result depended on that chain of support, plus the resident who noticed Gronk in the wooded area. Without the sighting, the dog might have remained missing longer and continued to go untreated for his injuries.
