We all have love to give. Some of us are more open to sharing that love than others, but when it comes to dogs, we’re all on the same page. Dogs give us such pure delight and offer their whole hearts to us, so it’s hard not to return the sentiments.
It’s a great feeling to have our pets by our sides, and we wish they could be with us forever. Unfortunately, life is short, and sometimes, tragically, it can end unexpectedly.
But just because things don’t go the way we planned doesn’t mean we should stop sharing our love. Steve Grieg teaches us that lesson in his story of how the loss of a special dog encouraged him to share his love with sweet senior dogs who truly needed it.
A Special Dog And A Home Full Of Love
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Steve Grieg is an accountant with a passion for caring about pets. His affinity for not just dogs, but all animals, started at a young age. He grew up with pets and learned about responsibly taking care of them thanks to his animal loving parents.
Even through adulthood, he usually lived with three or four dogs at a time. In 2011, the death of one of his young pups broke his heart, but it also led him to fill his home with all kinds of adopted animals, including seniors.
“I was just so distraught about [that death],” Grieg stated, “I decided that the only way I would feel better was if something good happened that probably wouldn’t have happened if he had not died.”
Grieg went to his local shelter and asked for a dog who was having trouble finding a forever home. He ended up adopting a twelve-year-old Chihuahua with heart issues and knee problems–and he didn’t stop there.
Since then, Grieg has adopted eight senior dogs with their own health issues, adding them to two other dogs in his home that belong to his sister and roommate, respectively. He also cares for a pig, a rabbit, a pond of fish, and a chicken named Oprah.
A Typical Day With The Greig Clan
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Greig has found himself making more than ten breakfasts for his animals every day, as well as administering medications to all the senior dogs with health issues.
“A normal day for me is getting up at 5 a.m. in the morning and making breakfast for all of them, which, you know, there’s ten, and most of them have different diets,” Greig stated.
Greig then goes to work and returns during his lunch hour to let them out and give them each their treats. On the weekends, Greig takes all of his senior dogs to their grooming appointments or to see the vet, depending on each of their needs. Their daily walks are also filled with entertainment as he takes out all ten pups at once.
Greig loves all his pets and, even though two of his senior dogs have since passed, he said he’ll continue to adopt those at shelters who no one considers, as he feels there’s something special about them that draws him in.
“They’re just wiser animals. You kind of know what you want out of life once you become a certain age. These dogs know who they are, and it’s easy to develop a relationship with a person or pet who knows who they are,” Greig stated.
What do you think of this man who adopted eight senior dogs? Would you adopt a dog who’s been looked over at the shelter? Let us know in the comments below!
