While I don't see a by problem in people keeping animals as pets, it's responsible to keep only what you can afford to keep or have the time for. It sounds to me like he overdid it and is now trying to pass the buck. If he wants them kept as pets he really needs to keep them himself and not ask others to pay for their upkeep, which is effectively what he's doing.

Is he vegan or vegetarian? Because if not it seems crazy to me that he would ask for them not to be killed, yet still go out and buy the same meat.