01/19/2026
From the Wag family, we are heartbroken to share this devastating news. This is one of our own, and it hits incredibly hard. Our owner Maria’s family lost everything in a house fire. They are lifelong North Salem residents and a deeply rooted part of this community.
Tragically, their beloved pets—Roxy, their blonde Border Collie many of you have met at the salon, and Sebastian, their beautiful Nebelung cat—could not be saved. The Fire Department reached them quickly and performed resuscitation efforts, but they sadly succumbed to the toxic environment. The heartbreak of losing family members in this way is unimaginable.
Mal, also known to many as “Big,” is Wag’s do-everything guy and Maria’s better half. He built our fixtures, fixes whatever needs fixing, and somehow does it all while running his concrete company with his sons. He raised his daughter and two boys in that home. Right now, the house itself doesn’t matter to them—they just want their pets back. If only their family could be whole again. The grief, guilt, and overwhelming emotions they are carrying are beyond words.
Mal is a proud and private man who has helped anyone who ever needed it. He would never ask for anything. But the reality is that this family is devastated, displaced, without their familiar surroundings, and facing a long road to heal and rebuild their lives.
An extended family member has set up a GoFundMe to help support them during this time. Even if the goal is exceeded, it will only begin to cover what lies ahead, as it will be more than a year to build again. Link: �https://gofund.me/3e08cb44a
You can help by sharing the link, keeping them in your prayers, or giving if you are able. Thank you for taking a moment to read this, to care, and to support one of our own.
May God bless this family and heal their hearts. And may God bless you for your kindness and compassion.
�https://gofund.me/3e08cb44a
