[KathrynAsh]

This might seem like a weird question, but has anyone else gotten a negative response from an agency when you've told them you're very devoted to your pets?

I spoke to one agency that told me I should be prepared to re-home my pets if I adopted a child who was allergic or fearful of animals.

Is this standard procedure? Because I'm not the type of person who can just abandon my furkids.

I was so excited about prospect of adopting, and now I'm really questioning how many hoops agencies make you jump through.

[HBV]

When you get your home study done, you'll have to address how your pets will fit into your life as a parent. They don't tell you you have to get rid of them, the question is how you're going to handle potential dangers/ health threats that the pets might pose to the child.

We have 2 dogs that are very important to us. We just did some research on how to acclimate them to a child's entry into the house, talked to our SW about it when the homestudy was done, and everything's fine. If you can demonstrate to the agency that you've given the matter some thought and have a plan about how you'll handle the pets and any issues they could create, it shouldn't be a problem.

[Michele81]

We just completed our homestudy & since I do animal rescue work, let's just say we have a variety of animal companions with whom I would NEVER part. We told our CW that we would not be able to take a child with any aggressive tendencies towards animals but added that we felt that since some children seem to bond with animals faster than they do people, that these furry family members would be HELPFUL and not hinder in any way!

[dmca]

heh! this reminds me of my daughter in laws tiny poodle. When my grandaughter ( first grandchild on both sides) was born, the tiny dog protected her like it was his puppy. Every time I made a move towards her, he would growl his tiny face off. lol
dmca

[StorkWatcher]

We have 2 house dogs (who shed) and other various outdoor animals. We did state that we hoped our child wouldn't be allergic to dogs or have asthma, but if we needed to, we could find good homes for them (the dogs, not the kids!)

That said, we included them in our profile books, and one of the reasons our son's birthmom chose us (and it's the only reason that we know of, because it's all the CW knew) was because we had horses.

So many expectant or birthparents and agency workers view pets as a plus!

Now, if someone (and I"m not saying you!!! Just in general...) absolutely would not be willing to move his/her animals outside of the home because a child's health was compromised, then maybe it's more important to them to be pet owners than parents. I think it's definitely something to consider while you're in the adoption process to be sure you're willing to sacrifice some things for your child, God forbid you need to.

[ouska]

WE have 3 dogs, 4 cats, 3 gerbils, and two fish tanks. None of them have been a problem. Now depending on the state or agency, thay may have a problem with certain breeds. My pets are my first babies.
Peggy

[jaenelle]

We have three cats and it was never a problem with the homestudy or agency.

Yuna's happily not allergic to cats, but if she had been, we'd either have kept the cats outside exclusively or found different homes for them. Yuna would obviously come first. I am glad we didn't have to make that decision, because I love my cats like children as well and would be heartbroken to get rid of them.

I'd think it'd be more a question of what you'd do with the pets if it became a problem.

[KathrynAsh]

Thanks for everyone's responses.

I have 4 Goldens. They're all well trained show dogs, and we do field work, obedience, agility. 3 of them have their therapy dog certifications. They're great dogs, but they did start barking right when I was on the phone. It probably did sound like I was calling from a kennel.

I'm looking to adopt an older child (4-7 years old, probably internationally) I was hoping by that age, you would know if the child was severely allergic to animals.

I've been researching adoption non-stop for months. I've been reading everything I can about attachment and parenting, learning Russian. I hadn't really thought about the dogs. I was really worried that it was going to be a big deal. I know my life would change if I adopted, but the dogs and showing are just to big a part of my life to completely give up. I'd love to adopt a child that I could share that with. Some of my favorite childhood memories are from when my dad and I field training the dogs.

I've been researching pet allergies with children, and I think I'd be okay, even if I adopted a child with allergies. Just being a dog person, my house is pretty well set up to reduce allergens. I'll put together a whole plan of what to do if that situation arises and have that ready when I actually do the homestudy.

[wandamorales]

I too have many pets which I treat as my own children and I hope not to be disqualfied because of it.

[BabsCanada]

There have been other posts recently on this site that address the same issue; at the risk of repeating myself ! I'll just say that we had 2 large breed, indoor & outdoor dogs at the time of our homestudy and we had absolutely no problems ... in fact, one of the reasons birthmom chose us was BECAUSE we had pets ...
Assuming your dogs are non-aggressive and well taken care of, you'll be OK.
Babs

[happygmom]

I think that it really depends on the situation. When my daughter was considering adoption for her unborn son, anyone who had pets or would not give up their pets was absolutley out of the question because of severe family allergies. On the other hand, there are expectant parents who want families with pets. Your agency should be open to all situations and clearly communicate requirements. If you do not want to give up your pets, then that should be communicated to expectant parents.

Good luck! (It is my husband who has life threatening animal allergies and I am a kitty cat lover .)

Happy G'Ma