Marcia Wolf-Deffense lost her husband earlier this month, but she didn’t want people to send flowers.
Instead, she asked them to donate to the Alachua County Humane Society.
The Deffense family has a strong love for animals — a love that compelled Wolf-Deffense, 45, to forgo flower donations at UPD Officer Jean-Guy Deffense’s funeral Jan. 9.
Since the funeral, the facility has received about $500 in his name, and that doesn’t include online donations, said Amanda Burks, executive director.
Burks said taking care of an animal for 30 days costs the facility about $350.
Wolf-Deffense said she wants the donations to go to the Alachua County Humane Society because it is a no-kill facility.
“We feel so greatly about no dogs being euthanized,” she said. “That meant a lot to us.”
The facility relies heavily on donations, Burks added. Its income consists of proceeds from its thrift store, donations and a minimal profit from adoptions.
Burks said she felt honored that the Deffense family decided to send donations to the shelter.
“We’re really grateful that, in their time of hurting and need, that they would think of someone else, or animals, that need help as well,” she said.
Wolf-Deffense said that her love of animals came from her husband.
She has two dogs, a greyhound-husky mix named Sugar, and a yellow Labrador retriever named Spice. She said they have helped her heal since her husband died.
“I just feel like Jean is a part of them because we had such closeness with them,” she said. “So, I hold them tight, and it’s kind of neat.”
The Deffenses’ love of animals is well-known, especially among UPD officers.
Sgt. Darin Gentry, a family friend who worked with Deffense at University Police, chuckled as he described plucking dog hair from Deffense’s uniform in the past.
“Their dogs are their kids,” he said. “Their dogs are their life.”
Wolf-Deffense adopted Sugar from the Humane Society. She later acquired Spice from a resident at her old job.
Sugar is a certified service dog, Wolf-Deffense said. She takes Sugar to Shands at UF to visit patients in the cancer and pediatric wards.
Wolf-Deffense said one of the most rewarding moments with Sugar happened when they visited a 10-year-old girl with autisism. The girl had difficulty understanding emotions, and Sugar was there to help.
The girl hugged Sugar during that visit and later hugged her mom.
Wolf-Deffense said that was the first time the girl showed affection toward her mother.
“Sugar taught her that feeling of hugging and that it’s OK to be close,” she said.
Wolf-Deffense described the dogs’ personalities the way a parent would describe a child: Sugar is intensely loving and independent, while Spice is the protector of the family.
While Spice is tougher, Wolf-Deffense said, he is still sweet. She said his favorite toy, an un-stuffed raccoon known as his gag-me toy, is one of his prized possessions. She said he enjoys swallowing and regurgitating it repeatedly.
The dogs’ love provides Wolf-Deffense with inner strength, she said.
Sugar and Spice have given her a reason to leave the house and have comforted her during her grief.
“It’s undying, unconditional love that I can’t explain,” she said. “I wish humans could be as unconditional as the dogs. This world would be a much better place.”
Marcia Wolf-Deffense, 45, plays with her dogs Sugar, 7, and Spice, 6, in the UPD conference room Friday. The Humane Society has received about $500 in donations in memory of UPD Officer Jean-Guy Deffense.
