Matilda is a 4-year-old Labrador and Jindo mix who has had a pretty rough start to her life.
In October of 2017, Sasha; an English teacher living in Jeju Island in South Korea, saw Matilda and he knew he had to help her. When he found her, she was roaming in the village looking for food. She was starving, filthy and terrified. She was so emaciated and gaunt that Sasha felt compelled to feed her. After feeding her for a while, they started to bond, and things were looking up. However, one day Matilda disappeared, and didn’t come for her usual feeding time and Sasha got very worried. His concern was justified, as the environment in Jeju was absolutely not safe for a stray dog.
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- Matilda in Jeju Island
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- At the Ilsan shelter
Winter was fast approaching, and temperatures drop immensely; there would have been no way for Matilda to survive without shelter. In addition, there was a real possibility that a dog meat seller would try to catch her, as Jeju Island is known for its dog meat markets and hidden dog meat farms. When Matilda finally returned, Sasha was horrified as she was bleeding, exhausted and limping. Something happened to her leg – it looked like it had been bitten. At that point, Sasha knew it wasn’t enough to just feed Matilda, he had to rescue her. He made contact with EK Park, founder of Free Korean Dogs, and together they arranged to transport Matilda up to Ilsan in South Korea. In Ilsan she stayed in a shelter for six months where she received medical treatment. Free Korean Dogs took care of all Matilda’s medical procedures and she improved drastically; she was finally afforded relief from her pain!
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- Matilda in Toronto
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- Matilda and EK
On April 16th, after getting stronger and recovering, Matilda flew to Canada to find her forever home. EK took her in as a foster. Matilda turned out to be a wonderful companion; obedient, quiet, easy going and gentle with people.
Unfortunately, after a couple of weeks, EK noticed that Matilda was limping again and took her to the vet. After a thorough investigation with blood work, X-rays and checkups, it was discovered that her kneecap was dislocated and that she needed an operation for Pyometra. EK got her the surgery right away and nursed Matilda back to full functionality.
Once Matilda recovered, EK noticed that Matilda can be pretty selective with dogs. She either loves them or is aggressive towards them. So EK sent her to a training school for two months so she can learn to interact well with other dogs. She went through training and learned incredibly fast. She is much better with other dogs, but still needs strict supervision. She is also house, and crate trained, walks well on leash, knows her commands and demonstrates her abilities with an air of brilliance! She has no resource guarding and has splendid manners. She has a medium energy level; so, she enjoys walks and playtime but also loves her naps.
Matilda’s favourite things are:
- Walks, playing outside & hanging out on grassy areas
- Receiving praise and attention
- Plush toys, Kong and Balls
- Getting treats for tricks
- Snuggling with her human and getting belly and ear scratches
- Relaxing naps after a yummy meal
- Her boyfriend Oslo, whom she met at her training school (they can get adopted together!)
The perfect home for Matilda would be:
- A home where she can be the only furry family member with no kitties or other small animals in the house.
- Adopters who are experienced with large breed dogs and can provide an extra patient and understanding environment.
- A quiet home without young children. Matilda can be a powerhouse when playing, and little ones may get accidentally ran over from excitement.
- A family who work from home or works alternate hours to ensure that Matilda gets daily exercise, mental stimulation and attention.
- A home in a rural or suburban setting with lots of green space to enjoy the great outdoors.
- A home with a secure, fully fenced yard.
- Adopters who would keep Matilda tethered to them in uncontrolled environments, as this gives her the reassurance she needs.
Matilda has gone through a lot in her short life, but she is still a joyful and happy pup. She is incredibly smart and loving and deserves a wonderful home with people who would appreciate her sweet nature. Everyone who has ever met Matilda, loved her at first sight. Her infectious happiness is so wonderful to see! Matilda would bring lots of love to any lucky adopter who gets her.
