Meet Mariesa and Chris Hughes, the couple who lives in New York with their 21 dogs! They have spent more than $55,000 on renovations, making the house the perfect place for their dogs to enjoy.

All of their pups are either elderly or with special needs, but that doesn’t stop the couple from loving them. In fact, Mariesa and Chris have rescued around 500 senior dogs and even paid their vet bills.

Both of them have a passion for rescuing dogs since they were little. Mariesa started adopting and fostering greyhounds in her 20s, while Chris quit his job in Washington DC in order to start an animal shelter in his hometown Ohio.

They met through the wife of Mariesa’s ex-boyfriend and immediately bonded. After a month of dating, they got engaged. Two months before Chris met Mariesa, he adopted a dog named Moses, a 12-year-old dog that was surrendered to a shelter in Florida for being too old.

When the couple met, Mariesa had 2 dogs and Chris had 6 dogs. However, Moses was considered the patriarch of the family. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with spinal cord tumor and he had only a few weeks left. The couple had to sell their hot tub in order to pay for Moses’ vet bills.

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Five weeks after he was diagnosed, Moses passed away. His death made the couple think about how many seniors dogs end up in shelters. So, they wanted to help somehow and they started the Mr. Mo project to help senior dogs and pay for their vet bills.

The project was started in 2014. Mariesa and Chris thought it would be a small partnership with local shelters, but it turned out to be huge. So far, they have rescued 500 senior dogs and spend around $45,000 a month on vet bills, foster expenses, and transportation costs.

The couple even helps dog owners pay for the surgeries they cant afford. As their project grew, they decided to turn their home into a haven for senior dogs. They installed ramps in the front and back so older dogs can move around and even bought a custom made king size bed for all their dogs.

Mariesa and Chris never intended to have 21 dogs, but it happened. They spent 45 minutes in the morning and in the evening to make sure every dog eats and receives the necessary medication. On top of that, both of them have full-time jobs.

However, they aren’t complaining. In fact, their main goal is to help others realize that age is not a disease. Mariesa and Chris are true heroes who deserve all the praise in the world!

 

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