A couple spent $55,000 to turn their home into a haven for their 21 senior and special needs dogs

Anneta KonstantinidesAug 22, 2020, 03:04 IST

Mariesa and Chris Hughes spent $55,000 to turn their home into a safe haven for their 21 elderly and special needs dogs.The Mr. Mo Project

Chris and Mariesa Hughes live with 21 dogs in their New York home.
They spent more than $55,000 to turn their house into a haven for their pups, who are all elderly or have special needs.
Chris and Mariesa have saved 500 more senior dogs through their nonprofit, The Mr. Mo Project.
The organization connects senior dogs to loving homes and funds their veterinarian bills for the rest of their lives.

There's never a dull moment in Chris and Mariesa Hughes' New York home, where their 21 dogs happily roam.

The couple spent more than $55,000 in renovations to make their house the perfect place for their pups, which are all elderly or have special needs.

And Chris and Mariesa have saved 500 more senior dogs through their nonprofit, The Mr. Mo Project, which connects elderly dogs to loving homes and funds the veterinarian bills for the rest of their lives.

Insider spoke to the couple about how their passion for dogs began, the inspiration behind The Mr. Mo Project, and just how they manage sharing a bed with all of their pets.

Both Chris and Mariesa Hughes have had a passion for pups since they were kids.

Mariesa and Chris has always loved dogs. The Mr. Mo Project

Chris and Mariesa bonded over their shared love of dogs and got engaged just a month after they first met.

The couple first bonded over their love of dogs. The Mr. Mo Project

Just two months before the couple met, Chris adopted a dog named Moses that they both fell in love with.

Moses (pictured) was the "patriarch" of the couple's eight-dog family. The Mr. Mo Project

Both Chris and Mariesa credit Moses with showing them the struggles that senior dogs face.

Chris credits Moses with opening his eyes to the struggles that senior dogs face. The Mr. Mo Project

Chris and Mariesa were inspired to launch The Mr. Mo Project after Moses was diagnosed with a spinal cord tumor and given just a few weeks to live.

Chris and Mariesa were heartbroken when Moses died. The Mr. Mo Project

When Chris and Mariesa first started The Mr. Mo Project in 2014, they just assumed it would turn into a small partnership with their local shelter.

They are now dedicated to helping senior and special needs dogs. The Mr. Mo Project

Mariesa and Chris have since saved 500 dogs, spending around $45,000 a month on their veterinarian bills.

Their nonprofit pays the medical bills for every dog in the program. The Mr. Mo Project

The couple works closely with New York City shelters and emergency hospitals to connect with senior dogs in need.

One of the pups that was helped through The Mr. Mo Project. The Mr. Mo Project

As The Mr. Mo Project has grown, so too has Chris and Mariesa's household. So the couple decided to turn their home into a haven for all their senior dogs.

Mariesa and Chris spent more than $55,000 renovating their home for their dogs. The Mr. Mo Project

They spent $5,000 on a custom king-sized bed so that they could cuddle all their dogs to sleep, with stairs at the bottom so the pups can easily hop in.

The custom king-sized bed where all their dogs sleep. The Mr. Mo Project

The couple said they never set out to live with 21 dogs, it just happened naturally.

Mariesa said it hasn't been as hard having 21 dogs "as one would think." The Mr. Mo Project

Mariesa said she and Chris spend around 45 minutes every morning and night feeding and medicating all their pups.

On top of caring for their dogs and running a nonprofit, Chris and Mariesa also have day jobs. The Mr. Mo Project

And all of this is on top of their day jobs.

Chris and Mariesa spend 45 minutes every morning and night just to feed their pups. The Mr. Mo Project

But Mariesa and Chris said the work has all been worth it to watch these pups "become the dogs they always wanted to be."

Mariesa and Chris said they've learned a lot from their senior pups. The Mr. Mo Project

As they continue helping pups across the country, Mariesa and Chris want to keep showing people "that age is not a disease."

The couple said they're hoping to break the stigma that senior dogs face. The Mr. Mo Project

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