Rescue Story
In December 2019, Yumi was found with burns all over her body after escaping from a dog farm, leading to the discovery of #SiheungDogFarm, the place where Yumi was assumed to have escaped from. Other animal rescue groups began to rescue dogs from the farm, but on Christmas Day the farm owner sent all the dogs to a different dog farm in the area. They managed to find the dogs’ whereabouts and persuaded the owner of Siheung Dog Farm to get them back, but those few days had been very traumatic for these dogs who had been born at the farm and spent their whole lives watching their friends being slaughtered. After the dogs were returned, WEACT and the volunteers kept watch day and night over the 65 dogs of Siheung Dog Farm to save them. The dogs rescued from there had extreme trauma, and their psychological scars meant it would take a lot of time and effort before they’d be ready to be adopted. Still, WEACT didn’t give up, and we’ve been working for the past three years to prepare them for adoption. Nicole was rescued from Siheung Dog Farm with her two puppies.


Personality
“I’m a tsundere dog. Come find me again in a few weeks.” Nicole is still very cautious around strangers because of the trauma inflicted on her by humans. It takes her a bit of time to open up, but if you wait a little, you’ll find her quietly walking over to your side and sitting with her butt toward you. Nicole’s quite good at expressing what she wants, so when she wants a treat, she’ll follow you around while whimpering until you give her some. She’s especially fond of boiled chicken breast – if you put some in front of her and tell her to “wait,” the adorable sight of her drooling while waiting patiently is sure to make you laugh. Nicole doesn’t butt her way in and demand attention like some of the more affectionate dogs, but she has a soft, steadfast charm in the way she quietly comes to you and just sits next to you. Nicole loves it when you gently massage her body; it seems to make her feel secure. As for toys, she especially likes ones that are shaped like chicken drumsticks, and she enjoys nosework as well. If there’s one thing Lady Nicole finds disrespectful, it’s when people try to hug her and lift her up! She seems very uncomfortable with this, perhaps due to bad memories, so please refrain from such actions :)


With humans
Chic urban girl Nicole doesn't approach people first, but when they approach her slowly at her pace, she sniffs them and shows interest. She also accepts treats from people. She has encountered small children on walks before, but she didn’t show much interest.


With dogs
Canine friends who approach her too suddenly or actively make Nicole a little uncomfortable, but she loves fellow Jindos. When she meets very energetic friends, including Jindos, she’ll initiate play and enjoys playing quite vigorously. Perhaps it’s because she’s given birth before, but Nicole especially likes puppies. Even when they act cheeky or try to jump on her, she’s very patient with them and will sometimes discipline them like a mama dog. Being around other dogs also makes Nicole more friendly towards people – she watches the way other dogs behave around humans and copies them.


With cats
Nicole has met cats on her walks but shows absolutely no interest in them.


Energy Level
Nicole likes going for at least one walk per day, but it’s hard for her to walk for more than an hour so it’s best to keep her walks to one hour or so. She especially likes to go out late at night when it’s quiet and she feels like the world is hers.


Shedding/Barking
Nicole sheds about as much as the average Jindo. She’s sensitive to noises outside the house, so she sometimes growls or barks. But if you calm her down while she’s barking, she’ll stop right away.


Needs help with
Nicole is very afraid of outside noises. She’ll need desensitization training to replace bad memories of noise with good ones so she can remain comfortable and not get anxious even when she hears noises.


Health Specifics
There are scabs on parts of Nicole’s skin, so she likely had a skin condition before she got rescued. Her skin isn’t in a bad state right now, but various factors such as her living environment, habits, and the food she eats will need to be managed carefully after adoption. She also needs periodic medicated baths.


Ideal family
Nicole is very sensitive to loud noises, so a quiet living environment without much noise would be best. Because Nicole is also quite afraid of being approached suddenly or being held, a home with adults or teenagers would be better than one with young children who can’t be controlled. Nicole used to only wag her tail at dogs, but when her foster family wakes up and greets her in the morning these days, she gently wags her tail at them, even if it’s just for a short while! Nicole has been through so much, but after living in a place where she can sleep comfortably, get warm meals, and receive lots of love from her foster family, she’s been giving humans another chance and trying to trust them. We hope she’ll find a warm-hearted family who will understand her painful past, be patient with her, and wait for her to open up. Nicole likes playing outside with her friends, but she’s also a homebody who’s happiest when spending time with her family at home, so a family who can spend lots of time at home with Nicole would be most ideal! Nicole is waiting for a forever family who can help her forget all her painful memories of the past and be happy forever among people :)


More photos and videos
https://www.instagram.com/weact_nicole/