Courtesy of RedWingsBaseball.com
ROCHESTER, NY – It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that the Red Wings announce the passing of Milo The Bat Dog, who has worked for the team since 2019. The beloved Golden Retriever was seven years old.
Milo was born on September 23, 2015. His owner Josh Snyder picked him up from a family breeder in Lititz, Pennsylvania. The bond Josh and Milo developed from that day on made it possible to fulfill the idea of the Red Wings Promotions Director Tim Doohan a couple years later: to specifically train a dog to retrieve bats in front of thousands of Red Wings fans during a game. In addition to doing an amazing job at fetching bats, Milo’s outgoing and friendly demeanor endeared him to fans, staff, players, coaches, and umpires.
Milo instantly became a fan favorite and no matter what the score of the game, some of the loudest ovations during games he worked was when he would fetch bats for his Red Wings teammates. He worked 2 games in 2019 before COVID halted the 2020 season. During COVID, he was featured numerous times on Red Wings social media outlets and his celebrity status and following continued to grow. He made a triumphant return to Innovative Field for two games in 2021, six games in 2022 and was scheduled for eight games in 2023, which would have set a career-high. This year he delighted fans on Opening Day and Friday, April 28.
In addition to fetching bats and making people laugh and smile, Milo used his incredible talent to help others via the Milo Making a Difference campaign. He partnered with the Flower City Group to raise thousands of dollars for local not for profit organizations including the Wounded Veteran Foundation, T.A.P.S., Bivona, SPCC, Veterans Outreach Center, and Honor Flight. Money was raised for every bat he fetched and via the sale of Milo merchandise in the team store. In addition to performing during games, Josh and Milo did Meet and Pet sessions at select games where fans got a chance to meet, pet and get a selfie with “The Goodest Boy.” In 2021, Milo was also honored with his own bobbletail giveaway. He also did a Milo Pawtographed poster giveaway in 2022. And in 2023 Milo will be featured in a series of 5 different baseball card giveaways.
Fans looking to support Josh and Milo during this difficult time are suggested to consider the following options:
1. A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help offset Milo’s medical expenses that have accumulated over the last two weeks. Fans wishing to help in this way can click HERE.
2. A donation can be made to the Milo Making a Difference campaign. This year the Flower City Group has already generously agreed to match the donation that they made in 2022. The agencies that the Milo Making a Difference campaign is scheduled to benefit in 2023 are the Veterans Outreach Center and Honor Flight. Fans wishing to help this way can click HERE.
3. For every Milo T-shirt and Milo plush doll sold in the Red Wings Team store a percentage will benefit the Milo Making a Difference campaign. Fans can support Milo in this way by clicking HERE.
Over the next week or so, the Red Wings will be working with Josh to plan a memorial event for Milo for later this summer. Those plans will be released at a later date. For now, we ask that you respect Josh’s privacy and keep him and his fiancé, Sam, in your thoughts.
To view a Milo memorial video, please click HERE.
Please see below for a heartfelt letter from Josh Snyder and his fiancé, Sam Van Hout.
Friends:
I wish Milo’s story had a happy ending but unfortunately it does not. Milo has passed away.
If you had the chance to meet Milo then you know how much love he had to give. He had such a positive impact on the Rochester community. Not only from the thousands of dollars he raised for not for profit organizations, but also the smiles he brought to every single person’s face that either watched him in action first hand, watched a video of him fetching bats or if you were lucky enough to meet “The Goodest Boy” you know he was truly one of a kind.
In 2019, when Milo and I got a call from Tim Doohan (Promotions Manager at the Red Wings) we were offered the opportunity to basically “try out” as him being a “Bat Dog”. At that first game in 2019, I can honestly say I never thought we would be so successful, doing so much good for the community even though that was always the goal.
From 2019 until now, I honestly don’t know how many total bats Milo has fetched for the Red Wings. But what is more important is that I do know how many people Milo has loved. And that number is ….Every. Single. One.
Someday I will write a story about how Milo saved my life, gave so much love to so many people and made such a positive impact on a community all in one short lifetime but unfortunately, now is not the time.
Milo The Bat Dog’s legacy lives on through everyone. The shirts, hats, plush dolls and baseball cards. The stories of how you and your family went to the ballpark to see a dog that fetches bats in order to raise money for non-profits.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything over the years.
Sam and Josh
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