Jennifer Giacalone was scrolling through Nextdoor when she noticed a sweet little face topped off by pricked ears and big brown eyes peering back at her.
“We already had two dogs,” she said. “We were happy being a two-dog family, but when I looked into his eyes, I knew he was mine. I sent my husband the dog’s picture in a text.
Can we get this sweet boy?
Yes, he immediately replied.
Jennifer, a financial adviser at Hazard Financial, and Mark, an engineer at Boeing, live in Rancho Palos Verdes with their son, Trent, and Dani and Fiona, their two rescue dogs.
Aika, the dog on Nextdoor, was a Korean Jindo, and available through DoVE, a dog rescue in Los Angeles. According to Claudia Bright, co-founder/CEO of the DoVE Project, the non-profit organization rescues dogs from other parts of the world where they’re bred for the dog meat trade, and brings them to the United States for adoption.
The Giacalones submitted an application, had a background check, participated in a Zoom interview with Aika’s foster parents, and were approved. Things moved quickly. Two days later, with Dani one of their rescue dogs, they met Taylor, a DoVe Project volunteer, and Aika at a dog park near their home. The visit went well, The dogs got along and the next day the Giacalones brought Aika home. They changed his name to Enzo to give him a fresh start.
In 2018, when Enzo was a puppy, he and his four siblings lived in deplorable conditions on a Dog Meat farm in Namyangju, South Korea. Their house was a small rusty wire cage set just above the ground. Summers they baked. Winters they froze. Water bowls were scarce. The dogs ate foul leftovers, boiled peppers, onions, and chilies. When they were hungry, they forced it down–even though it made them sick.
Fortunately, when Enzo was 4-5 months old, the DoVE Project removed him from the farm and placed him with their rescue partner CARE. Five years later, he was brought to RUN, DoVE’s rescue partner’s boarding facility in 2023 where he was closely accessed and evaluated physically and behaviorally. From there, he and a flight volunteer flew directly from Seoul to LAX. One month later he was adopted by the Giacalones.
“He was a very nice dog,” Jennifer said. “But we knew from his background, that he’d been through a bad time.”
When Enzo moved in with the Giacalones, his emotions ran the gamut of excitement, fear, and anxiety. Eventually, he bonded with them but it took almost a year to for him to relax and feel at home. “He was overwhelmed and scared,” Jennifer said. “He was drawn to small spaces like our living room fireplace. When we realized it was his safe place, we moved his bed in there. It’s still one of his favorite places in the house.”
Gradually, Enzo felt more and more at home. One day Jennifer noticed him sleeping on the family room couch. Dogs are not allowed on the furniture in the Giacalone house, but Enzo looked so happy and peaceful, Jennifer let him stay.
“Since Enzo is very calm and well-behaved,” she explained. “We’ve let him dictate where he needs to be. We want him to feel loved and safe.”
Because of Enzo’s calm demeanor, the Giacalones knew Enzo would make a good therapy dog, and they thought exposing him to new people would benefit him as well..
Enzo aced the ATD (Alliance of Therapy Dogs) tests and was certified. The first place Jennifer and Enzo volunteered was a local nursing home.
“It was quiet and he seemed to like it,” Jennifer said. “There weren’t a lot of residents–it was like visiting friends. The dog enjoyed the outing and it was great seeing the positive impact Enzo had on everyone.”
Next, Jennifer and Enzo visited South High. The school wanted to reduce the amount of student anxiety during testing. Enzo settled in right away. The students crowded around waiting for a turn to pet him. After a few of their visits, one of the teachers had her two dogs registered with ATD. She’s retiring soon and wants to focus on decreasing student anxiety instead of causing it.
Later, Jennifer discovered Camp RennerVation on the Incline Village’s Facebook site. Jeremy Renner established the RennerVation Foundation in 2023. According to the foundation’s website the non-profit organization is dedicated to serving children in foster care and at-risk youth by providing them with a safe haven and targeted programs to develop their skills, confidence, and opportunities.
Jennifer contacted Kym Renner and asked if they were looking for a therapy dog. Jennifer explained how Enzo and the campers had similar backgrounds and how he could help. Before long, Enzo was approved and on his way to Lake Tahoe.
During the first week of July, 2024, Renner’s first camp in Lake Tahoe welcomed more than 100 foster kids—all from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Giacalones were a bit concerned when Enzo arrived at camp because it was a new experience and he gets easily intimidated. At first, Enzo was wary, but when the kids realized the dog was stressed and needed a minute, they understood that he was like them, and they tried to make him feel better. With their help, he relaxed and warmed up.
Enzo had his own special place at Camp RennerVation in Katie’s Quiet Cabin where he focused on campers who were stressed. The kids used the cabin to get away, read, or just settle down and have quiet time. Enzo spent about two hours in the cabin every day, listening to the kids read, watching them color, and enjoying them stroking his thick white fur. He’d close his eyes in contentment and lean into their gentle touch.
One of Enzo’s favorite things to do at camp was to meander leisurely over to the meadow, find a comfortable spot, and watch the kids play games. He’d sit there with a smile on his face, head held high, ears perked, ready to comfort anyone who felt left out or didn’t want to play.
Enzo’s been on an incredible journey since he left the Dog Meat Farm in South Korea, it’s amazing to witness the unconditional love and happiness he bestows on others in need.
Jeremy Renner agrees. “Enzo was a magnet that united our campers everywhere he went. He’s a star!”
For more information: RennervationFoundation.org and Dove-Project.org
Mary Jo Hazard is a retired MFT, the author of four children’s books, a coming-of-age novel, and is a contributor to Palos Verdes Peninsula News. She and her husband live in Rancho Palos Verdes.
