Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lancerz]

Hi All,

I'm new to the boards so apologies if this has already been asked. I'm planning to move over to Korea this summer once I've secured a teaching position. I have a dog and a house that I'm leaving behind in the care of my family while I'm gone, but I've been thinking about having my dog sent over to join me since I'm going to be gone for so long (at least a year). Has anyone else done this? I've looked up the immigration and transportation requirements for my dog (he's a 60lb mutt) so I know the costs and paperwork associated with such a move, but I'm more concerned about how it would affect my position in Korea. Is pet ownership viewed negatively by employers? What are the fees associated with keeping a pet in your apartment? Are there size/breed restrictions I should be aware of? Is pet ownership common in Korea? Anything else I should take into consideration that I'm not aware of?

Any information/input is appreciated. Thanks for your time!

Kat

[Died By Bear]

Be careful, Koreans eat dogs like we eat cheeseburgers.

[Lancerz]

[ttompatz]

[tardisrider]

Don't bring the dog.

[luckylady]

while it's wise of you to wait and check out the home environment before bringing your furry friend over, I'd be hesitant to have him fly by himself - airlines these days simply don't have the reputation for looking out for their 2 legged passengers, much less the 4 legged ones!

and once you get here - what if you want to travel around, which you surely will - if at a minimum, at the end of your stay?

if you're only gone a year, and you have a safe place to keep him, he'll surely remember you when you return.

[Wildbore]

Just sell your dog and buy a new one when in Korea. Problem solved.

[Cacille]

*For readability, everything I say will be inside these asterisks. Everything else is quoted.*

I'm new to the boards so apologies if this has already been asked. I'm planning to move over to Korea this summer once I've secured a teaching position. I have a dog and a house that I'm leaving behind in the care of my family while I'm gone, but I've been thinking about having my dog sent over to join me since I'm going to be gone for so long (at least a year). Has anyone else done this? I've looked up the immigration and transportation requirements for my dog (he's a 60lb mutt) so I know the costs and paperwork associated with such a move, but I'm more concerned about how it would affect my position in Korea. Is pet ownership viewed negatively by employers? *Not really I don't think. Haven't heard of such a thing, but can't answer it yet myself. Epik don't seem to have a problem with it as I put that I was bringing pets on my application - there was even a spot for it on the application.*

What are the fees associated with keeping a pet in your apartment?
*Not sure if there are any. It's either no pets or some pets, and that is that, from what I've heard. Can't answer this one yet myself*

Are there size/breed restrictions I should be aware of? *YES. Aggressive breeds are looked down on and they will face considerable restrictions if you have one. Short nose dog breeds are not allowed to fly at certain times of year, or sometimes not at all. This is due to their breathing in lower oxygen levels. We humans deal with it easily, short noses don't quite as much apparently. ALLLLLL of the plane companies in the USA AND Asia have this restriction.*

Is pet ownership common in Korea? *yep*

Anything else I should take into consideration that I'm not aware of?
*1. Be prepared to pay a lot for each leg of the flight that you fly with a different airline. Fly as few as possible.
2. It seems that the Korail system does not have any rules on pets travelling on the train. I may be wrong, but I haven't seen any. This may be an option you may not have thought about.
3. A specific crate container may be needed for your pet - and they differ per each airline. It is almost impossible to fulfill the needs of each airline's crate requirements as one wants one thing while another doesn't. "Airline approved" crates....aren't approved by every airline.
4. There ARE pet stores in Korea. I found this one page, may be helpful for you to find a vet and pet stores in your new area, whatever that may be. http://www.hery.fr/en/hery-sellers-in-the-world/153-hery-sellers-in-south-korea.html
5. Get your pet microchipped now - make sure it is a international one. They will require it soon so you may as well, and then you can prove you have owned your pet more than 30 days when you bring proof of the microchipping from your vet.
6. The documentation you need for your pet is A. Health Certificate B. Quarantine certificate. They use the USDA APHIS ones in Korea, I THINK. Still not sure on this one but from info I got, they do. Your pet will be quarantined for a while. Plan your flight and settling-in-Korea time accordingly.
7. PM me with other questions. I'll answer em as I can, if I can.
P.S. I'm taking household birds, not a dog.*

[DomAndJenny]

My fiancee and I are going through the same situation now. Well, we are almost over the hurdles, we leave in 2 weeks.

We were really upfront about our somewhat large mutt as well, so we had no problem securing a job (we are also certified teachers willing to share an apartment, I think that this made a difference). Before we signed the contract we asked if we could fly with a particular airline, they agreed, we just had to pay the difference in the cost of the cheaper flight (which seemed really fair, and ended being almost the same price anyway).

The 60lbs becomes a problem depending on what airline you fly we have come to realize. There is a restriction on flying with anything over 70lbs with some airlines (air canada and korean air). So the dog and kennel need to be under 70lbs together. But don't forget that you have the option of shipping the dog over on its own after you arrive, it is just much more expensive (flying with you about $300, shipping is more like $1400). We are prepared to ship her if they won't allow her on the plane. There are other airlines, but they all have their own special restrictions. I suggest googleing all your options and the calling and talking to a representative, the reps give you extra restrictions you might not have thought of. We are going Air Canada, then Korean Air btw.

Also, if you haven't crate trained your dog before, now is a good time to start. Our dog loves her crate, she hangs out in there on her own accord. We crate trained her as a puppy so this obviously makes a difference. If you do it right the dog should feel very comfortable and safe in their crate. I think this is also a good idea for apartment living. We are playing with the idea of crating her while we are away, we did for the first 1.5 years of her life. I think that we will probably do it for a few days until she gets familiar with our schedule.

Also, if you haven't lived in an apartment with a pet I have. It is a big commitment, but so is owning a dog so I am sure that you were prepared for that. Our plan is to be up at the crack of dawn to walk the dog for an hour before work so that she doesn't go crazy while we are gone. Then another walk when we get home. You only need enough room for a dog to curl up at your feet as long as you are going to dedicate enough of your free time to hanging out with your furry friend.

But, like I said, we aren't going to be over there for another couple of weeks. I will update you in the beginning of March if you like and tell you how it all works out.

For now, like someone else suggested, get her microchipped, ensure her rabies shots are up to date. Check out this website for the regulations:

http://www.nvrqs.go.kr/eng/rese_quarantine_02.asp?pageNumber=3-0

Good luck!

[Feloria]

I know it may be difficult for you to be apart from your dog for a year, but I think you really need to think about the dog and not yourself in this case.
If he has a loving place to stay where he can play and run around freely, don't put him through what could be an agonizing, traumatizing experience by having him sent here.
It would be at least 24+ hours he'd have to be cooped up in a cage, and you won't be there if something goes wrong during the process.
Pets have been known to die during flights, maybe not very often but it does happen--is it worth the risk?
You can always SKYPE if you miss him that much!

[strange_brew]

Leave your dog at home. It's just not right to force these dogs to live in these tiny box apartments. You'll be at school all day, and the dog will be cooped up in a tiny apartment. Think of your pet rather than yourself.

[Lancerz]

Thanks everyone for your input. My dog and I have been through a lot together, including several moves. I'm not worried about apartment living as we've done it before, but he was abused as a puppy and hates crates...I think Skyping for a year while he hangs out with his cousin at my sister's place will ultimately be the best decision.

For those of you taking your pets, thank you for your insight and I hope you and your pets have a great time in Korea!

Kat

[Quack Addict]

[PRagic]

Again, don't bring the dog. Newbie teachers have crap schedules and your little buddy will suffer as a result of it. If you're going to be here at least a few years, do a year, settle in, get a decent and consistent schedule, and then bring over Spot.