I found out today that I forgot to take the pets to the vet and forward their records to the adoption recruiter. She emailed me today asking for it. Oops!
I try and stay on top of these things, and when it came to filling out all the paperwork, signing all of the consents, finding friends and family who would fill out references for us, mailing the reference forms out, turning in employment references… Man! I was Johnny on the spot!
Then we turned in everything except the animal’s vaccination records, because they were due for shots soon anyway, and I figured I would take them into the vet, get their visits taken care of, and have new records to send off to the adoption people… It never got done. I still need to get the pets into the vet, get them their new round of shots, and send the paperwork into the office! I guess it was just such a relief to turn all that paperwork in, and I got to feeling as though I was done, even though I knew I wasn’t…
But then someone asked me, and I would find it sort of funny how often I get questions such as these… “Why do they need that? They check that??”
Yes, they check that! They check EVERYTHING!
During the home study they gave us a list of paperwork they needed before they could continue. In addition to our basic application and family history questionnaires that we had to fill out, and the consent forms that we had to sign in order for them to complete criminal background checks and DCF history checks, that paperwork included marriage certificate, divorce decrees for previous marriage, school references for the children, tax returns, copies of drivers licenses, and even our car insurance! I had to call the Clerk of the Circuit Court offices back in the city we used to live in, which happens to be in a different state even, and request that documentation be sent to us, because there were some documents that I just no longer had in my possession.
My husband’s divorce from his first wife was so long ago that they had to give me a number to call a completely different office, obviously where they keep the “old” records, and the woman who answered the phone there was even surprised at how far back she had to look and she had a hard time finding the file!
I spent weeks tracking down all of these documents, getting copies made or shipped to us, and compiling it all into a nice, neat, stack. An enormous stack, but a neat, organized one.
We’re adopting a child, not a puppy. I’m glad they’re so thorough, actually. Collecting all of that paperwork was a pain in the behind, but it will be worth it! And tomorrow I will be on the phone with the vet’s office making appointments!
If you’re planning to adopt, and you haven’t yet reached this part of the process, keep that in mind… start collecting all of your important documents now… they just might want to see them!