How do you assess pets in the homes of prospective carers?
We know that our Advice Line and publications are valued resources for our members – thousands of you buy our books and access our advice every year. One of the most popular subjects from Advice Line callers has been pets – specifically, dogs. We’ve had questions about a range of pets from bees to chickens. How do you assess pets in the homes of prospective adopters, foster carers and kinship carers? What should you look out for in their past behaviour? What if there are multiple animals in the home?
Many enquirers have particularly asked how all of this applies to XL Bully dogs. Many of us will have seen recent news stories about XL Bullies and the possible dangers and uncertainties around this new breed. The various bans and restrictions on these dogs brought into the UK nations have also made the news – most recently, restrictions being introduced in Northern Ireland in July 2024. Although it is legal to own an XL Bully, there are a range of bans and restrictions around breeding, selling, and the need for muzzles and leads on the dogs in public spaces.
Our Advice Line has always received questions around pet ownership and how to ensure that both children and pets will be safe in adoptive, fostering and kinship families. Our Good Practice Guide, Dogs and pets in adoption and fostering remains very popular and is an important information source for many assessing social workers. The guide is also helpful when assessing pets such as birds, fish, rodents, livestock, snakes and other reptiles.
In terms of assessing dogs, the current advice is to undertake the standard dog assessment, and to consider whether there are any additional concerns (in relation to any dog, and regardless of the number of dogs in the household) which suggest a specialist assessment should be sought. The latest advice about specialist dog assessments is in the Good Practice Guide.
“In considering whether to use a specialist dog assessor in a particular case, this needs to be a proportionate response, and as the result of specific identified concerns around safety. This might include factors such as the particular breed of dog, the history of the dog (including absence of history), or because of information that has arisen in the standard dog assessment. Often it will be because of a number of factors coming together. Where the assessing worker is concerned about any aspect of the dog’s safety from what the applicant reports about the dog, from their personal experience during the assessment, or for other reasons, the fostering service or adoption agency should err on the side of caution and commission a specialist assessment.” (Adams, 2015)
The recent focus on XL Bullies has increased attention in this area, with more workers understandably seeking advice around this new breed – but we have always provided advice on a wide range of pet-related questions. Our Advice Line and guide are key sources of good practice, and we encourage social workers to access these whenever they have queries.
But amidst the concern over XL Bullies, it is important to remember the huge benefits that pet ownership can provide for families and children. Particularly for children who have experienced early loss, grief and trauma, pets can provide valuable and unconditional companionship, and help to heal the wounds of difficult early experiences.
As more dogs and cats are now in the UK than ever before, we clearly recognise their benefits. Every pet assessment will be as individual as the animals involved, and CoramBAAF resources and advice continue to provide the help you need for thorough and analytical social work in this area.
Jo Francis, Publications Manager, CoramBAAF