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'Sweet And Gracious': Nurse Who Died In Clarence Fire Spread Joy Through Golden Retrievers
Gloria Zemer met Joan Wozer only twice, but she is thankful every day for the woman who sold her Fubbins, her golden retriever.
"It makes me grateful for Joan all the time," Zemer said this week, less than 48 hours after Wozer, 62, and her four golden retrievers died in a fire at her home on Spaulding Drive in Clarence. "I sent her notes to remind her that the joy she provides others is immense."
Zemer, a Hamburg entrepreneur; Wozer's close friend Cathy Lapoint; and Krissi Miranda of the SPCA Serving Erie County were three of dozens who spoke with The Buffalo News or on social media about Wozer's passion for golden retrievers, which complemented her career as a nurse at John R. Oishei Children's Hospital and previously at Sisters of Charity Hospital's St. Joseph Campus.
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"She was such a nurturing person – it was a perfect job for that," Lapoint said of her friend's nursing career.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office reported late Sunday afternoon that deputies are investigating the cause of a fatal fire that occurred earlier in the day at a Clarence home in Spaulding Lake.
The hospital environment allowed her to care for mothers and babies, and the litters of dogs she bred over four decades showcased a similar, if more playful, compassion.
Before going back to school for nursing, Wozer worked as a veterinary technician, Lapoint said.
Wozer's love for puppies made national news in 2019 when her golden retriever Mirabell had been bred with a competition dog named Albert, a qualifier for the Show Dog Hall of Fame.
When Wozer learned Mirabell would have a singleton litter – or just one pup – she inquired with the county SPCA to see if an orphaned litter needed a mother. The agency connected Wozer with seven puppies of Nemmie, a Blasdell German Shepherd afraid of her offspring.
Without skipping a beat, Mirabell mothered all eight puppies – nursing and providing full care – until Nemmie's pups were ready for adoption. Lapoint said she will never forget the photo shared with her of the "seven dark black dogs" nursing from the golden retriever.
"Our community has lost an animal-lover in its truest form," said Gina Lattuca, chief communications officer at the SPCA, who added that Wozer fostered other animals, too.
Part of a litter of golden retrievers bred by Joan S. Wozer, 62, who died in a fire in Clarence early Sunday morning.
Contributed photoThe generous act resonated with Miranda, the SPCA's adoption supervisor at the time, who got to know Wozer.
"She was the nicest person. It didn't matter what walk of life someone came from. She truly was so sweet and gracious," Miranda said.
Lapoint, an East Amherst resident, said she has known Wozer for about 25 years. Their lives, in many ways, ran parallel: They were the same age and each raised four kids in the same area, which caused their activities as parents to overlap at places that included youth soccer.
They were "exercise buddies," Lapoint said, and hung out weekly as empty nesters. Wozer would bring her golden retrievers on their walks along bike paths in the Northtowns, and Lapoint would marvel at their obedience.
"She would pull the hatch down and tell the dogs to stay – sometimes for as long as five or 10 minutes – and they still wouldn't move," Lapoint said.
The close friend said she received a text message from Wozer's husband, Greg, who survived the fire but shared news of his wife's death.
The rippling impact Wozer had through breeding retrievers is part of the meaningful legacy she leaves in Western New York.
"A lot of local people have her dogs," Lapoint said.
Gloria Zemer's golden retriever, Fubbins, was from a Joan Wozer litter.
Contributed photoZemer acquired Fubbins at a difficult time in her life. She had lost a close friend after a short bout with cancer, and her partner was battling a medical crisis. Her chocolate Labrador suffered from anxiety, and experts told Zemer a comforting furry companion would help. That led Zemer to Wozer, but the wait was "years for a Joan puppy," Zemer said. Fortune smiled upon Zemer, however, as Fubbins unexpectedly became available during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Once Zemer passed Wozer's rigorous interview process – down to the brand of food the dog would eat – Fubbins became a beacon of positivity with an "amazingly light spirit."
"It is the most adaptable, flexible and lovable creature," Zemer said, later adding: "The one thing I could count on each day to make me belly laugh."
Zemer elaborated beyond the fact that Fubbins represented an extension of the breeder's joy.
Wozer would maintain a Facebook group for each litter, providing photo and video updates on how the puppies – whom Wozer called "babies" – reacted to noises, tested their paws in water and other firsts. Even after adoption, the members of the Facebook group would gather each year for a dog birthday party.
Maintaining those connections, answering questions and celebrating milestones when she did not have to was part of an impressive package, Lapoint said.
"She was the kindest, warmest and most genuine person I know."
Ben Tsujimoto can be reached at btsujimoto@buffnews.Com, at (716) 849-6927 or on Twitter at @Tsuj10.
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Golden Retriever 'Decorates' For The Holidays In Hilariously 'Helpful' Video
A holiday isn't a holiday without a lot of tinsel and baubles decking the halls, but one Golden Retriever didn't want to wait for mom to start trimming the tree and decided to take matters into his own paws.
Watch the following video to see what this amazingly helpful pup did!
I'm not sure there will ever be enough brooms or vacuums to clean up that mess, which looks like the aftermath of a bean bag explosion, but Alfie sure does look proud of himself!
The video, shared by the TikTok account for @goldenretrieveralfie has everyone hilariously in the early holiday spirit! @Amanda comments, "Love what you've done with the place!" @Hunter festively sings, "Walking in a winter wonderland!"
Related: Cat's 'Christmas Tree Problems' Prove the Tree Struggle is Real
Another user added, "It's my puppy first Christmas and I'm scared he'll mess up the place." Spoiler alert: I can promise you he will mess up the place. I have an elderly cat and after decorating my own tree this weekend I found two ornaments on the kitchen floor. Animals love nothing more than helping their owners decorate and un-decorate for the holidays!
@Christine has obviously been down this road too and says, "Nooooooooo. Those things are so hard to clean! That stick to everything."
Looking at Alfie and his fur you can tell this is a very messy situation, especially due to how a lot of homes have their furnaces on and the air gets dry which results in a whole lot of static for a dog, and we all know those little foam filler beads love to stick to anything with static.
We think mom just needs to take Alfie on a very long walk outside and hope that some of those annoying pieces of foam fall off while he's outside. Or else she can just teach Alfie how to run the vacuum!
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Golden Retriever Survives 5 Months In Corn Fields After Escaping Grooming Session In Iowa
An Iowa family is relieved after being reunited with their dog, Molly, who went missing for five months.
On June 15, Molly's parents, Randy and Cynthia Ruth, brought the golden retriever to Spitfire Farm in Anita for an appointment with groomer Rose Shoemaker. Molly — who was microchipped but not wearing a collar — decided to exit the grooming session early, escaping through an open door and into the tall corn surrounding the farm.
"Molly jumped off my grooming table and ran out the door into farmland where the corn had just started to get quite tall. She was seen several times for the first couple of months, and lots and lots of effort was put forth to find her. However, no one could catch her," Shoemaker tells PEOPLE of the canine's disappearance.
Molly the golden retriever after her rescue.Randy Ruth
Spitfire Farm employees tried luring Molly in with toys, treats, and members of her family, but she still couldn't be captured. According to Shoemaker, the "small, supportive community" of Anita helped the farm and the dog's owners scour the area.
The farm kept the searchers posted on Molly the dog sightings through social media, and eventually, "with the help of so many different people looking and keeping eyes open," the canine's luck changed.
Nearly five months after disappearing, farmers found and captured the lost pet. Per local news station KCCI, the farmers stumbled upon Molly in a field on Sunday, Oct. 29. The lucky locaters quickly alerted the pooch's family, who were surprised and delighted.
"He said she's alive. He said she stood up as he came through the field with the combine," Randy told KCCI.
Molly the golden retriever.Randy Ruth
Molly lost close to 40 pounds while away from home, so she required some medical attention but is recovering nicely.
Shoemaker is ecstatic and relieved to have Molly back with her family as well.
"Lots of happy tears were shed by me for sure," she says.
While five months is certainly a long time for a dog to go missing, PEOPLE previously reported on a pit bull named Bentley who went missing in Memphis, Tenn. — before he was found alive in Philadelphia three years later. Although his owner had since passed away from cancer, Bentley was reunited with the owner's sister, who was thrilled to have him back.
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"I don't know how he got all the way to Philadelphia, but I am so grateful," she said in a Facebook video from the Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly), the rescue that reunited the duo. "He was all we had to remember her by."
"Bentley, I love you so much," she tells the dog. "You don't know what this means to me."
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