A pensioner dedicated himself to caring for elderly dogs (19 photos)
Sometimes even the most difficult events can become a starting point for spiritual healing, as it happened to Steve Greig. His pet named Wolfgang was hit by a car. Grieving the loss, the man decided to take the oldest dog from the shelter in memory of his pet. That's how he got a Chihuahua named Eeyore. 
At that moment, Steve's life changed forever. He wrote: "It affected me so much that I didn't stop and continue to take in older dogs from shelters."
Meet Steve Greig and his gang of oldies 
He takes care of ten elderly dogs, as well as a turkey, a pig and a chicken. Check out their unusual family!
The man began helping animals in 2012, when his dog named Wolfgang died 
The pensioner shared how difficult it was for him to accept a new pet after the loss of Wolfgang, and how he coped with this task.
"Honestly, once I made the decision to adopt the oldest dog from the shelter to honor my deceased dog, all the obstacles and problems disappeared. For months, I tried to comprehend the loss of Wolfgang. When I realized that the best way to honor his memory was to give another dog a chance at a better life, there was no doubt left." 
The first pet from the shelter was a Chihuahua named Eeyore.
"The dog who had the biggest impact on me was probably Eeyore. I found him at a shelter. As we were driving home, he climbed from the passenger seat onto my lap and put his two front paws on the armrest so he could stick his head out the window. Even 12 years later, I remember that moment clearly. He had this look of pure joy on his face, the wind was blowing through his fur, and he was standing on my lap, realizing that fate had given him another chance. It was a life-changing event for both of us." 
"I've learned not to wallow in grief when dogs pass away. It always hurts and I'm always worried, but I've learned to understand that they've had their own journey and I'm lucky to be a part of that journey, no matter how long or short it was. It took me a while to get there, but now I can truly appreciate the time we had instead of wallowing in the sadness of losing them." 
Steve now takes care of 10 senior dogs, as well as Bikini the pig, Betty the chicken, and Cranberry the turkey 
"And some of my fondest memories are the times spent with those who were sick. I was with Phyllis at the oncologist for her weekly chemotherapy treatments, held Edna three times a week while she was getting IVs, and took Melvin to the cardiologist at 45 miles from my home, talking to him and petting him on the way to treatment so he knew how much I loved him," Greig shared. 
Their family is truly unique! 
Caring for an aging dog can be challenging, such as diet and medication costs. 
Steve gave advice to those who want to get an older pet but are hesitant because of possible health issues or difficulties associated with caring for the animal.
"If they are worried from an emotional standpoint, I would advise them to make choices that are not always easy and to please their own ego. When a person understands that they need to live for more than just themselves, they open up a lot more opportunities for joy." 
