Just wanted some opinions on this one.

Hellrazer · 06-07-2009 4:38pm #1

Thought Id share an experience I had a couple of days ago.
We`re currently in the process of adopting a child who we`ve been fostering for the last 5 years and on Friday a social worker called to the house for a chat--they call every 3-6 months or so to follow up on how the kids doing.

Anyway when she arrived at the door our dog Holly (Golden Labrador) barked as she always does anytime theres a knock on the door.
Well this social worker had a freaker...she runs out to the car and brings back in the Restricted breeds list and starts ranting on that if our dog was one of the listed breeds then it would jepordize the adoption process.

It took a lot of explaining that it was a Labrador and even if it was on the dangerous breeds list I would never leave kids unsupervised with any dog.

Anyone ever hear of anything like this.Im sickened by her attitude and honestly even though its only a Lab we have we have been looking at possibly getting a Rottie in the next year or so.

How can these people get away with telling responsible owners what breed of dog they can or cannot own.

Ive cross posted this in the adoption forum just to get their views on it aswell.

/rant over

peasant · 06-07-2009 4:48pm

some words spring to mind ...officious, ignorant, self-important and do-gooder are among them ...the others would get me banned

andreac · 06-07-2009 4:52pm

Well for starters there is no dangerous breeds list, there is a restricted breeds list so she got that one wrong.

I dont know anything about adopting kids, but is there something in their rules that stops you from adopting if you own a restricted breed? If there is then you might have to adhere to their rules, but if their isnt then its none of their business.

Has the dog been around since you have had this child and has the social worker ever had a problem before with the dog?

Personally i wouldnt mention the rottie if its going to affect the circumstances, once you have the adoption gone through then down the line im sure you can get one. Some peoples attitudes will never change towards certain breeds of dogs and they just see them as child killers, its such a shame, as rotties are actually brilliant with children.

Blueprint · 06-07-2009 4:56pm

This is a woman who can't even tell a golden Lab from a Rottie and she's telling you how to look after children?!

Hellrazer · 06-07-2009 4:57pm

andreac wrote: »

Well for starters there is no dangerous breeds list, there is a restricted breeds list so she got that one wrong.

I dont know anything about adopting kids, but is there something in their rules that stops you from adopting if you own a restricted breed? If their is then you might have to adhere to their rules, but if their isnt then its none of their business.

Has the dog been around since you have had this child and has the social worker ever had a problem before with the dog?

Personally i wouldnt mention the rottie if its going to affect the circumstances, once you have the adoption gone through then down the line im sure you can get one. Some peoples attitudes will never change towards certain breeds of dogs and they just see them as child killers, its such a shame, as rotties are actually brilliant with children.

It was the restricted breeds list that she had with her(my wording was wrong).As far as I can remember there was never any mention of what type of dog we could keep when we started fostering.

This social worker has been in the house at least every 6 months for the last 3 years and never had a problem with the dog before.

Ive tried all day to get through to someone in the HSE to get an official answer on it but I just keep getting the runaround--its doing my head in.

Looks like Ill have to just get my rottie and take a stand against this lot

ISDW · 06-07-2009 5:07pm

Unfortunately I think the attitude probably stems from their fear of being sued down the line. I know when I was fostering (children, not dogs:D) in the UK that they started to clamp down on people with dogs, especially any breeds that they perceived to be dangerous. The two dogs that I had when I started fostering had been assessed as Pets as Therapy dogs, and I had the paperwork to prove it, but I was fostering for a particular council for 9 years, and about 6 years in, I was asked to get a vet certificate or another professional to temperament test my newer dogs.

Just to prevent any further trouble for yourself, as I have always found that it is better to work with the system rather than against it in these kind of circumstances, would you be prepared to get your dog assessed and have a letter from a behaviourist or vet to that effect? This would show that you are a responsible dog owner, and I think could be very helpful if you did then get a rottie, you could get him/her assessed when the dog is old enough as well.

waraf · 06-07-2009 5:25pm

Should have got a cat

Only joking!! She's obviously freaked by any dog as everyone knows labradors are great with kids (in my experience anyway. We had 11 of them when I was a kid and they were all brilliant)

Inexile · 06-07-2009 5:32pm

I have a friend who has adopted two children. At the time of the adoptions she had two dogs, not on the restrictive breed list, and at least two cats. Now she has had a rottie and she reckons its the best dog she ever had. My advice is hold off on the rottie until the adoption is finalised and if you are expecting the social worker put the lab in a separate room or back garden until after the visit - the adoption system is hard enough without taking on an extra row re dogs - even if i do think you are right.

girl_friday · 06-07-2009 6:11pm

You can have any dog you want but there is a list in the The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 and if you have a dog listed on that you need to keep it muzzled and sign a contract to say you will monitor it with the children - basically that you will abide by the regulations. Its perfectly normal and should have been said to you for fostering too and not just for adoption.

star-pants · 06-07-2009 9:10pm

TBH we've had issues with social workers before. I'm sorry but some of them make my blood boil. My parents went through the fostering process, which takes 2years and at the end of it because of something in my mother childhood they refused to let them foster.
They knew this info at the start of the process so why not save everyone time and emotion by saying it then?? :mad:

Same with your dog, no issues til near the end then some twonk has a freaker.
A labrador.. a LAB ffs... if you'd a rott or something intimidating I'd understand her having a check. But she's not a dog warden or anything of the sort so she can't start throwing her weight around like that. I'd be well ticked off myself.
We've two Lhasa Apsos -- ones a pup, and they bark (to warn us) when the doorbell rings or if a stranger (to them) comes in, they have to check them out.

I think she was wrong to go having a fit, one of the first visits to your house should have brought up the dog, and there and then it should have been checked how the dog was/what type of owner you are.

Some social workers place kids in such sh*tty care and don't check up on others in horrible situations and then get all snotty when real loving caring people want to take in a child it just sickens me tbh.

Sorry I'm really ticked off now for you. Obviously no point hitting the roof with the social workers about this as it won't work in your favour. Maybe after the process report her behaviour. Honestly do they check with everyone who's buying a dog to make sure their children are safe? no.
Just the ones opening up their arms to give love and home to a poor child who needs it. Yes check the house is safe of course, but don't make mountains out of molehills.
Especially when they leave some children in positively sickening situations.

/rant over. Sorry.

In short - Hellrazer, I'd be ticked off, but I wouldn't do anything yet. Just do what she says, show how you have control over your dog, and just keep things calm for now. When you're through the process, then you can look at getting a rottie.

Sigma Force · 06-07-2009 9:21pm

Heard of this kind of thing before with social workers, if you are worried she won't be fair because of the dog I'd try and request another visit from another one. Fingers crossed she's calmed down and seen sense I don't see why having a lab should stop the process. I know people with lots of dogs and other animals that have adopted more than once so everything should be fine.

Dog forbid the woman ever comes across a king charles or bichon she'll probably think they are rabid wolves.

Hellrazer · 06-07-2009 10:09pm

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Fingers crossed she's calmed down and seen sense I don't see why having a lab should stop the process. I know people with lots of dogs and other animals that have adopted more than once so everything should be fine.

Thanks for all the replies.Just to clarify something--She did calm down on Friday after much explanation that the dog was a labrador and was not on the restricted breeds list.

What annoyed me the most was the fact that she pulled this list out of nowhere and started the Spanish Inquisition about the Lab despite the fact that shes been in the house at least 10 times over the last few years.My wife reckons that she only heard about this list and decided to go on a power trip that day with "something new" to check out.

The ownership of any dog was never discussed from the day we started the whole fostering process almost 7 years ago.And it was never mentioned when we started the adoption process 2 years ago.

lightening · 06-07-2009 11:05pm

Amazing story. Best of luck with the adoption process Hellrazer, fair fooks to you. Edit.... 7 YEARS!!! Jaysus. Yeah, weird she had the list with her. Deffo on a power trip... and she wields a lot of power too.

Had to do this, sorry...

EGAR · 06-07-2009 11:24pm

I've had it twice in the past year, people calling me in tears as they are in the process of adopting a child and were told by the social worker to get rid of their dog.

However, once the adoption is formal you can go to an undertaker, order coffins for your whole family and no one gives a rat's behind what you are planning.

Our man in Havana · 07-07-2009 1:41am

Hun good luck with the adoption! I may bend your ear about this one day!

I have 9 dogs & am far too scared to start the adoption process! Add in the exotics, parrots & cats & I feel OH & I have zero chance of adopting

mymo · 07-07-2009 8:52am

I have a relation who has been fostering about 10 years and had 6 sheepdogs at the start, never was any comment made about them or the cats. Dogs all passed away over the years and they just got 2 border collie pups, again no comment. I know one boy they are fostering has sisters in another home nearby, with a white german shepherd, no questions there either. This is in the countryside and I think it's accepted as the norm, I have heard of a couple in Waterford were forced to rehome a boxer cross as social worker thought it was dangerous looking:rolleyes:, they rehomed it to brother next door and it visits daily even for sleep overs;).
I think it's sad that these people don't think as dogs as the wonderful friends and comfort to kids that they are.

Just wanted some opinions on this one.

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