Retiree Adopts Senior Dogs to Keep Them ‘Loved and Warm’ in Their Twilight Years

Steve Greig first rescued a senior dog to honor his late pup, and has since taken in dozens of dogs in their later years

In 2012, Steve Greig was devastated after his beloved 12-year-old miniature pinscher, Wolfgang, was hit and killed by a car.

“I was just so depressed about it — I couldn’t quite shake it," he tells PEOPLE. "So I decided that I needed to do something that kind of gave his death meaning, something good coming out of him dying."

He went to a shelter near his home in Denver and adopted a 12-year-old Chihuahua he named Eeyore.

“From the second I adopted Eeyore, I could tell it was the right thing to do," says Greig, 59. "I just immediately felt better about Wolfgang's death. It was giving life to another dog. So, it just felt really good."

And because he had plenty of room, he adopted another senior dog. And then another. And another. Right now he has 11 senior dogs in his pack.  

"This is their home," he says.

He and the dogs share their space with Greig’s miniature pot-bellied pig, Bikini, and a Silkie chicken named Betty (who, unlike his other chickens, sleeps inside the house instead of the coop).

 "I've always been a dog person, I love being around dogs,” he says, adding of the animals he rescues, "a lot of these dogs would be put down immediately.”

One of his dogs, Festus, is completely blind. Another dog, named Cat, has diabetes. Pup Loretta is senile and incontinent and has to wear a diaper, but she loves eating and especially loves being held, Greig says.

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“A lot of these [dogs] just would never have homes. And if you give him the proper care, they're great dogs,” he says.”I find it comforting to know that they're living out their last years the way that they should, being loved and warm, and not in a shelter.”

Seven of the little dogs sleep in his bed at night.

“I can't imagine my life without dogs,” he says. “They brought me so much joy through my life that I feel like this is a little bit of payback, being able to take care of them.”

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He shares their journey on Instagram @Wolfgang2242, where his more than 1 million followers enjoy following the animals' adventures. He also uses the platform to encourage others to follow his lead. Senior dogs are more low-key, he says. They’re just happy with taking a walk around the block, and snuggling up to watch a movie.

“There's no way I could have this many dogs if they were younger," he says. "It would just be a nightmare, but these dogs, we get up, we go outside, they go to the bathroom, I feed them breakfast. They usually nap for two or three hours, so I can get some stuff done. So, it kind of works out."

“Being with them really makes me happy,”  he adds. “We're one big family.”

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