A Jindo dog and her puppies found in a wire cage in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province. (Image captured from animal rescue group Youumbba’s Instagram)
UISEONG, South Korea, March 27 (Korea Bizwire) — As a massive wildfire continues to rage across the North Gyeongsang region following its outbreak on March 22, a story of extraordinary animal resilience and maternal instinct has captured the nation’s attention.
Animal rescue group Youumbba revealed this week that a Jindo dog and her puppies were found severely injured but alive inside a wire cage in Uiseong, where the fire had swept through.
The mother, later named Geumsuni (meaning “precious as gold”), was tied by a metal chain and unable to escape. She sustained serious wounds around her neck, believed to have been caused by her desperate efforts to shield her young from the flames.
Photos posted by the organization show Geumsuni’s neck torn raw, likely from struggling against the tether while trying to protect her puppies. One of the newborns was found lifeless in the ashes just outside the cage, but the remaining puppies appeared to have survived with minimal harm.
“Geumsuni fought to the point of tearing her skin to protect her babies,” the organization wrote in a social media post. “Her body bears the burn marks and trauma of a dog who was never once loved, kept only to breed and fed scraps.”
A Jindo dog and her puppies found in a wire cage in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province. (Image captured from animal rescue group Youumbba’s Instagram)
The rescue group noted that Geumsuni’s paws were burned from the scorching cage floor, and her swollen, burned chest showed signs of continued nursing even during the fire.
Now receiving treatment at an animal hospital, Geumsuni and her surviving pups are in stable condition. The group has called on the public to help ensure that her bravery is not forgotten, and that her life going forward is marked by the care and dignity she has long been denied.
As South Korea faces increasing concerns over animal welfare and natural disasters, Geumsuni’s story has sparked both heartbreak and calls for reform—shining a light on resilience amid devastation. The Uiseong wildfire remains active, with firefighters working to contain the spread.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
