Pets during approval process

First time post and first time link to #WASO- at least on a public blog. I will eventually transfer over some of the posts from my private blog that I have written during our process. I have fits and starts of writing - depending on what is going on my my life.

We (being T my husband and myself) are approaching the end of the approval process within our local LA. We live  in Yorkshire and are first-time adopters with no birth children, and no experience of IVF or other fertility treatments as we decided that they were not a good idea for us. I work in higher education and T is a healthcare professional. When I say we are approaching end - panel is in a little over 3 weeks and we received our report on Wednesday. Meeting with our social worker next Wednesday to discuss the report - which is pretty fair just needs a few factual changes (and the odd typo).

 

                                     Ricki                                                               Henry

Going onto the true subject of this blog - pets. When we started our home study back in February we had two cats - my beloved elderly cat Ricki whom I got as a rescue cat after I graduated from university for the first time which is 16 years ago. The other cat is again a rescue cat Henry who we got as a half-grown kitten three years ago.

Throughout the home study Ricki would always come in and try to sit on our SW's lap. Would normally try to encourage her to use one of ours or the cushion on the footstool as she is pictured above. Luckily she has cats herself so wasn't too worried by this. Before we came to fill in the pet questionnaires and do the home safety check T decided he would resurrect his fish tank which he had been thinking about for some time so that it was part of the process. The questionnaires were no real issue other than the fact that Ricki did give my nephew a slight nip the first time he met her as he went for her in a way that she didn't appreciate - she hated been stroked on her back so you always had to tickle her round the head and neck - and for some reason Henry is this way as well.

No real problems during home study with any of the animals other than the fact we were both aware that Ricki may not be with us for much longer. So when we took her up for her boosters at beginning of June (should have been both but himself decided to be an escape artiste) and were told that she was very dehydrated and with the known kidney issues a decision had to be made. We could have had her put on a  drip and re-hydrated but as we both said it was a sign the kidney failure was progressing and the worst thing for us would be having to make the decision in 6 months time with a LO who had attached to her. So we decided it was only fair to let her go. Her ashes are scattered in the field out the back of the house where she spent a lot of time before she got elderly.

As we finish the process we have 1 cat and 5 fish (9/7: well until this past weekend - it is now 0 fish - don't ask!!). Henry is young and hopefully will adapt to having another person in the house - although bless him he is only just now coming back to normal. All in all our experience with pets during the process has been great - and that includes the one time we had a visit when there was a dog here as well. We were dog-sitting my parents springer spaniel who is great with children - he and my nephew have a great time.

Pets are a wonderful thing to have - I have grown up since I was 8 with pets around (cats & normally a springer). However I am aware of the potential issues that can surround the loss of a pet. I know how much i have grieved with Ricki and losing my grandmother 6 days later (not unexpectedly I must add) made June a hard month. But July is looking up already and we should be approved by end of the month.