Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Illysook]

I've been offered a kitten who is 2 months old. I cannot adopt her because I look at owning a pet as a commitment for the lifetime of a pet. My cat is 13 years old and I brought her with me to Korea. Sometimes she seems a little lonely, and I'd like to justify adopting the kitten, but it's really not a good idea.

It upsets me that someone would adopt an animal without considering all of the consequences of that decision. A good housecat can live to be 20 years old. Kittens are a lot more active than fully grown cats. They have claws. Some people are against de-clawing surgeries, but each of us has to decide what is best for the situation. The furniture in your apartment, is it yours? If not, perhaps your animal would rather be declawed than in need of a new home because it had the need to exercise it's clawing muscles...or perhaps you should think about not adopting the animal in the first place.

So, I'd just like to say that people should think their decision to adopt or to not adopt all the way through. You have to pay for shots, worming, spaying or neutering, and any healthcare needs the animal has, and Korean Air charges you 260 U.S. dollars each way, for each leg of your flights to and from Korea. Think about all of this. The animal is not a toy for you to use up while you are lonely in Korea somewhere and then abandon at a shelter somewhere. It is alive and it will depend on you for that very life. Be smart about it.

I love animals.

[Draz]

Can't wait to foster again. I've been in a nice shared apartment for the last year and a half... too nice for animals. I will miss the nice things, but I'm super excited about having my own grotty old apartment full of my own crappy furniture for precious needy claws to destroy. :3

Fostering is a good option, if you're willing to put the work in. My last foster had to be hand-fed for awhile (eventually he got to eating from his bowl if I was petting him, then finally he ate normally) and I had to be home twice a day to give him medicine which cut down on going out. He was a doll though. Great company.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

Absolutely. It irritates me immeasurably when people buy a pet like they do a toy, to amuse themselves until their interest wanes. It cannot be put on a shelf.

Having said that, I don't understand the OP's dilemma. A lonely older cat, and the offer of a kitten to keep it company and to for it to nurture. Why not?

Northworst charged me $150 for each in-cabin cat, once, US to Busan.

[DorkothyParker]

Chances are an animal in a shelter is going to be killed anyway. I think it's good to give it a couple happy years at least.

The real immoral behavior is not having your cat spayed/neutered, buying pure breds (encouraging cat breeding! OMG! There are already so many lonely housecats, snob!), and buying animals NOT from a shelter.

But seriously, have your pet spayed or neutered or I will look down upon you with fierce disappointment.

My two babbies are being watched by their Auntie and Uncle while I am in Korea. I've been tempted by those fluffy Home Plus bunnies, but I've resisted because I am unsure if it's morally sound. I've channeled my excess snuggles to my kindy students.

[sallymonster]

As Draz mentioned, you should consider temporarily fostering the kitty. You can take care of her and put up an adoption/foster ad on http://animalrescuekorea.org

When people express interest in fostering/adopting the kitty, you can even screen and interview them yourself to make sure they're ready for a pet.

I really hope this kitty doesn't end up dying in a shelter because no one wanted her. I love kitties (I have one back in the US) and would be more than happy to help with your situation. Please PM me if the kitty still needs a home.

[warmachinenkorea]

If you're near Daegu check out KAPS http://www.koreananimals.or.kr/english/

My wife is the foster/adoption coordinator. If you can't foster or adopt just volunteer. Remember fostering also means activley looking for the animals a home. We have people who just want take animals to foster and want to bring them back to the shelter when it's time to leave Korea.

Unlike shelters in The US Korea tends to be full of pure breed dogs. At KAPS we have Malmutes, Huskys, Great Pyrenees, Shih Tzus, Yorkies etc... We've even got a Greayhound and we shipped an Afghan Hound to L.A earlier this year. If you're looking for a certain kind of dog and want to rescue one and save yourself some money you can probably find it in Korea.

We have a young Husky right now that was left by an expat military couple who just couldn't afford to ship him back to The States. What BS. Most of the animals are turned over by Koreans who are "tired" of them. But when we get one from expats it stings much worse.

[itaewonguy]

I can't say this enough times..

Animal breeding needs to become illegal for the private breeder or pet mill.
all animal breeding needs to be done by a government funded hospital or LAB which takes care of all the adoptions!
people who wish to own a pet need to fill out forms, be approved and then they can select there desired breed! once they have been approved the dog or cat can be picked up.. if that owner decides he doesn't want that animal anymore the animal should be sent back to the hospital where it came from.
and of course every animal which leaves the hospital will be spade!

criminal charges and large FINES need to be set anyone caught breaking these laws...

this will stop the world over population, and abuse and exploitation of animals! DOGS and CATS are not a GIMMICK or a toy for a week!!!

[Steve_Rogers2008]

in your perfect world, would the dogs poop chocolate ice cream, too?

[Fox]

[NYC_Gal]

I'm all for mutts, but when I was younger, my parents and sister were allergic to most dog breeds, so would only a hypo-allergenic breed after years of my begging for a pooch. We ended up getting an Italian greyhound. He was adorable with a lightbulb-shaped head, but had his share of health problems (seizures, stomach issues, dental problems, and eye problems amongst others), and we had gotten him from a top breeder (his dad was a multi-time champion and his mom was one of the most sought-after dogs for puppies on the East coast with regard to the breed). I loved the pooch, but I'd never get a purebred again.

Mutts rule! They tend to be healthier and smarter, more often than not. Also, spay and neuter them.

[Seoulio]

[itaewonguy]

[Underwaterbob]

I would chime in, but I'm well aware of the futility of arguing with the mighty logic of itwg.

[Fox]

[itaewonguy]