Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bob V]

Hello, I know that I should search for this topic but it never comes up with specifics so I am going to post my questions.
I am planning on coming to Korea around November and just wanted to know what brought their pet with them when they came. I will be coming from the US and bringing a cat with me. I just was wondering if anyone can give me specifics on how to go about doing this right, so there is no problems and no quarantine period. How can I make the trip over comfortable for the cat? Also is it as hard as I hear to find litter and food (specifically Hills Science Diet) for cats there? I have an indoor cat and think that although the trip over may be rough it would be better for me AND the cat if I brought him with me. ANY help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Bob

[chi-chi]

Hi Bob,
I'm not sure whether or not you'll have a quarantine coming from the U.S. I had a cat in Korea but did not bring her from the States. You may want to do an online search or something, for quarantine procedures between the U.S. and Korea.
Also, check with your air carrier, they should be able to tell you, and you will have to let them know in advance. They will probably want you to come in one day before your flight (or arrive extra early) so the cat can be weighed and the carrier measured.
Quarantine (if required) isn't that expensive in Korea from what I've heard. But they're pretty lax anyway. My cat traveled to Taiwan and back with me, got quarantined in Taiwan, but not in SK.
I really hope you are going to Seoul. If you go to the countryside, you will occasionally have to make three hour train trips on holidays to bulk up on cat litter-so not fun....
Oh, and they hate cats over there and kill them and stuff. That's how I got mine, I rescued her. It's fun trying to get a yogwan with one in tow, or taking a cab...I would tell the Koreans:
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"Don't mind her! She's not really a cat...just a lab rat....she's sick, and we're taking her to the doctor." This would usually disarm people enough to let me take er on the bus, taxi, subway, or yogwan

[cheeky monkey]

i just brought my cat over in may from the US, which was a huge headache, but sooo worth it. here's the skinny:

first, there is no qurantine in south korea. it used to be 30 days, but that was dropped about 4 months ago, so consider yourself lucky (the boarding gets expensive).

when you make your plane reservation, tell the airline that you will be brining an animal with you. this is VERY IMPORTANT. each plane only allows a certain number of animals per flight, and if the quota is up before you tell them, then you just bought yourself a worthless ticket. also, a few carriers (American Airlines is actually the only one i could find, but surely there are more) do not allow pets on international flights, which is another reason to reserve a spot for your cat before you fork over a bunch of money.

because your animal is under 20 pounds (right?), you have the option of bringing him/her aboard with you in the cabin. i did this, and i highly recommend it. again, i can't stress how important it is to let them know this stuff at the time of reservation; if i remember correctly, they allow a small number of animals in the hold with the luggage, but only ONE animal in the cabin on each flight, and if you're not the first, tough.

If your cat goes in with the luggage, the airline will require a hard-case carrier, the size of which should not be a problem for a small animal. if the cat goes in the cabin with you, you are allowed (usually- double check!) to use a soft-sided carrier. again, this is what i did, as it is easier to carry and much more comfortable for your pet. in the cabin, the carrier must comply with carry-on size regulations. CHECK THIS before you buy a carrier! they will not hesitate to find a reason to keep your cat from boarding the plane, so check and re-check all measurements and paperwork!

Your cat must have had a rabies shot MORE THAN 30 days before departure. if this is not possible, then the old rule of the 30 day quarantine will still apply when you arrive. best to just get the shot. also at this time, i would recommend making sure the cat is up to date on all vaccinations, wormings, etc. KEEP THIS RABIES CERTIFICATE!!

LESS THAN 10 days before your flight, your cat must visit a vet who is certified by the state to issue health certificates (check with the state first, not all are even if they say they are). The vet will give a physical examination and sign the certificate. you will need to take that certificate to a state office (probably department of agriculture) to have it certified. ASK THE VET to give you the information of where it needs to be taken, schedule an appointment, whatever. they will know exactly what your particular state requires.

on arrival at the airport, present your rabies certificate and health certificate. you will be expected to pay a fee for your pet to travel. Air Canada charged double the excess baggage fee, or $220. this is fairly standard. i did the research, and i don't think there is an airline that will charge you less than $200. for us, the overall cost was:
$220 airport fee
$25 health cert. fee
$50 vet visit for exam
$80 check-up and shots (necessary annual appt, anyway)
$45 soft-sided carrier

once you land in seoul, ask someone in the airport to direct you to the agricultural importation desk (something like that), and present your rabies and health certificates.

as far as food and litter, if you are going to be in seoul, science diet is avilable, though maybe you will have to search. i buy kitty litter at a cat store in my neighborhood, but any vet here could probably get it for you or tell you where you can find it. i can certainly help you out with that stuff. if you're not in seoul, sorry, don't know.

i know this is a lot of information, but i commend you for making the effort to keep your fluffy friend by your side. we were forced to leave our two dogs with my husband's parents, but having our kitty here has eased so much of the heartbreak

please pm me if you have any questions about any of this, i am more than happy to help!

[Bob V]

Hi and thanks for the replies. I should have clarified my situation better. I am still in the process of getting a job, planning on coming over around November, so that gives me a couple of weeks to get the rabies shot at least. I dont know where I will end up so food may be a problem (order on the internet maybe?). I am hoping for a prepaid flight over so how do I insure the airline know of my situation? Thanks again.

Bob

[chi-chi]

When the Koreans talk about ticketing, tell them that you can go to a local travel agent to book the ticket (by the way you want a round trip ticket, entirely paid up front, or you shouldn't take the job.) Anyway regardless of how it's done, you can call your local travel agent to get the telephone number of the local representative for that airline. (Local meaning in your nearest airport.) If you want them to know before the ticket is purchased, you should tell the Koreans in advance that you will be bringing a pet. They will probably freak out, but if they tell you "no job" (which some may, they really hate cats and will be providing an apartment) then you can lie and say hey! I won't be bringing a cat, but I'll be bringing my dog Sparky, so please book me a ticket that will allow this....when you show up with a cat, there's nothing they can do. But only do this if they threaten not to hire you because of your cat...some employers may be freaked but will accept it.
Ok if you have a cat, I would personally recommend that you only go to the Seoul area. (By Seoul area, I mean anywhere that is connected on the Seoul subway system, and you can specify this when applying for jobs.) Taejon is also equipped for litter (or was when I breezed through) so that is the only other one I would consider-I wouldn't count on the other large cities, I know that Kwanju is NOT equipped, and while Busan is large, it's by the Southern coast, which isn't very Westernized at all. When you kitty needs to pee, this will matter. So stick to the Seoul area or Taejon please for kit-cat's sake.
*Unless anyone else has reliable info**
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What's with that weird hyperlink thingie? Are we all walking English lessons now?

[justagirl]

Most cities will have cat litter. You can go to the local Vet or a pet store and find it.

However, it's very expensive. It'll run between 10,000-15,000 per bag/box/carton.

Cat food will be about the same. Purina is the cheapest (7,000) and it goes all the way up to 25,000 for the "science diet" type stuff.

For reference, I'm in Cheonan. We can get cat food and litter at E-Mart, Carre Four, and all the local vets/pet stores.

[Bob V]

Price for the litter or food isnt really a problem, hes a small cat and a bag lasts a while. I just am hoping that its a good decision considering I have heard alot of directors dont allow cats in the apartments. I dont know I am having second thoughts about it because I would like to travel on my time off, its just that I dont know anyone here that I could trust give him to. Has anyone else with a pet had problems while traveling finding someone to watch their pet? Any other problems in general, thanks again.

Bob

[chi-chi]

Yes, it can make travel a problem, especially if all of your Korean friends are cat-phobic
You will have to limit your vacations to a couple of days, so you won't be able to go outside of Korea. I wouldn't trust the foreigners to come feed the cat on vacation either.
Oh and make sure sure sure he's neutered, otherwise it will get to the point where you'll either want to hurt yourself or him, those apts are very tiny and it is just not cool to have a cat in heat....
Don't ask me how I know
Let us know where you end up going.
It's good to know that Cheonan has litter. Many of the smaller/and or more coastal cities don't.
Just tell your director up front. Trust me some schools are so desperate for teachers that they will get over their fear of cats just to get you.

[krats1976]