There are a lot of posts on Waygook 'Hamsters need a home', 'Leaving Korea - Cat needs a family', etc.

I totally understand it - we're isolated, lonely and a little fluff ball is a great companion when you've come home from a long day at school. We're far from our families and culture and we want something till full the void. I even bought myself a Japanese Fighter fish (but it sadly perished.) So I understand why people want to get pets, but here's the thing.

It's selfish.

You're here for one or two or three years (and if you've married a Korean and plan on living here forever then obviously this doesn't apply to you.) But you're here on a TEMPORARY BASIS. Dogs and cats live for years. What do you expect to happen to that animal when you leave? Just fob it off on whoever is willing to take it? We all have two big vacations a year where we go off to Thailand or home or Bali or whatever and who do you expect to look after your pet? Pets are not disposable. You may think you're doing the world a favor taking home a little hamster from E-Mart but it's even more cruel when you up and leave in a years time and expect someone else to take it or even worse have it put down because you can't take it with you. Unless you're taking your fluffy Persian back to the States with you, then don't get a pet. You're using a living creature to temporarily fill your loneliness and then disposing of it when you leave. It's irresponsible and selfish. Don't get a pet.

I agree, there is no bigger animal lover than me, but I would never get a pet for the reasons stated by the OP unless I could take it with me.

He made that exception already.

"Unless you're taking your fluffy Persian back to the States with you, then don't get a pet."

Keep it, good. Use it and lose it...weak.

In general, I have to agree. I hate seeing all these 'free to good home' ads or worse, people leave their animals in their apartment when they leave. I don't think its just the teachers. The US military is a big contributor too. Lots of buying cute baby animals then deciding they don't them. Not to mention the Korean philosophy on the issue.

I foster animals for that reason, knowing I'm going to leave in 6 months. And although I'm planning to come back the following year, there's a 3 month gap. However, I do have (rescued) hamster and some (inherited) fish and some (foster) kittens (my students gave me) and 2 foster dogs in my house at the moment. Do I have a plan for all of them when I leave? You bet. I'm seriously considering taking one of the dogs back to the States with me. Do I know what that entails? Yes, I do.

Taking dogs/cats back to the US and Canada is very simple. Taking dogs/cats back to NZ is almost impossible. People should consider that before commiting to an animal. Rabbits, hedgies, chipmunks, fish, turtles... are hard to take home due to either legal issues or the health of the animal. 5 minute Google search will turn up that information.

It's simply a matter of personal responsibility. But it doesn't make everyone irresponsible or selfish for owning a pet in Korea :)

cause they're emotionally co-dependent and can't stand to be alone.

Agreed with the OP.  If you follow expat blogs you'll see this sequence of posts a lot:

May: Aww, I "rescued" a stray cat. It's so small and helpless, and so cute.

June: Anybody know where to get cat food and kitty litter here? Are there any vets that can take care of cats?

November: Hey, I need a cat-sitter for six weeks because I have an English camp next month and then I'm going to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Manhee Gam-sah! Sayonara!

March: Well, its time to leave Korea, anybody want a cat? She's cute but a little jumpy. I guess she's still upset about being neglected and abandoned by Koreans like that.

[From here.]

Agreed with the OP.  If you follow expat blogs you'll see this sequence of posts a lot:

Quote

May: Aww, I "rescued" a stray cat. It's so small and helpless, and so cute.

June: Anybody know where to get cat food and kitty litter here? Are there any vets that can take care of cats?

November: Hey, I need a cat-sitter for six weeks because I have an English camp next month and then I'm going to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Manhee Gam-sah! Sayonara!

March: Well, its time to leave Korea, anybody want a cat? She's cute but a little jumpy. I guess she's still upset about being neglected and abandoned by Koreans like that.

[From here.]

WOW.  The last line is definitely the kicker...

I agree with most of these posts.  I love animals too, but realize how difficult it would be over here to care for one.  I felt bad because my plant died when I was on vacation.

I haven't replaced it yet and probably won't.

I'm glad someone posted about this, because it's an important reminder.

I desperately missed my family pets when I came here, and just as desperately wanted to get a cute little lap dog or a cat while I was here. But did I? No. Because a cat can be a 20 YEAR commitment and a dog can be a 15 YEAR commitment. Getting an animal here means you have to know a)you can bring it home when you leave b)you can take care of it and obtain housing that allows pets in your home country and c)you're able to care for it for it's life span

Honestly, very few people in their 20s and early 30s (often the age of NETs) have stable enough lives and future plans to fulfill the responsibilities of owning a pet.

I also suggest fostering, however, PLEASE make sure you have enough time to do it properly. Because the foster animals may have had bad experiences in the past, they may come with extra psychological and health needs. I speak from my own experience.

I thought I had enough time to foster a cat, so I took in the first I could find. He ended up having some health and psychological problems that I was unaware of. Because he was left at home too often each day, and my apartment was too small for him (he was a HUGE cat, bigger than some dogs) he ended up defecating all over my apartment and bedding. I think he was bored combined with some real health problems.
 
I ended up having to give him back to the place I'd taken him from and I still feel extremely guilty to the poor cat. He had already been bounced around, only to have a brief and unpleasant stay with me before returning to another cage! :( It was probably one of the most irresponsible things I've ever done, and I have definitely learned my lesson. So please, think very carefully before you foster, and maybe check to see if the animal is the right match to your life and personality.

Next living thing I'm going to try is a plant....

There are a lot of posts on Waygook 'Hamsters need a home', 'Leaving Korea - Cat needs a family', etc.

It's selfish.

You're here for one or two or three years (and if you've married a Korean and plan on living here forever then obviously this doesn't apply to you.) But you're here on a TEMPORARY BASIS. Dogs and cats live for years. What do you expect to happen to that animal when you leave? Just fob it off on whoever is willing to take it? We all have two big vacations a year where we go off to Thailand or home or Bali or whatever and who do you expect to look after your pet? Pets are not disposable. You may think you're doing the world a favor taking home a little hamster from E-Mart but it's even more cruel when you up and leave in a years time and expect someone else to take it or even worse have it put down because you can't take it with you. Unless you're taking your fluffy Persian back to the States with you, then don't get a pet. You're using a living creature to temporarily fill your loneliness and then disposing of it when you leave. It's irresponsible and selfish. Don't get a pet.

listen mr cynical... korean dogs are small, so what yo do when you leave is you tell people it's a puppy!