Book review: Adams, P. (2015). Dogs and pets in fostering and adoption. London: BAAF. pp.88, ISBN 9781910039250

For years my parents ran a residential school. At the top of the main staircase usually lay 'Crisp' and afterwards, 'Leo' – Golden Retrievers – whose docile natures often made them appear more rug than canine. For children visiting for a potential placement, the welcome provided by these dogs (which was conditional only on equal shares in cheese scones) must have made an impression, as they were often mentioned in letters from children expressing a desire to take up a placement. Children were frequently being looked after away from home for the first time. Then, as now, there was often as much grief at the loss of a pet as there was of family members. The book, Dogs and Pets in Fostering and Adoption by Paul Adams, argues that for children with traumatic backgrounds, a dog or pet can provide a vital bridge between carer and child. Although it appears that Adams is a firm believer in the benefits of pet ownership (indeed from the outset he declares his status as a dog owner), he has successfully balanced the benefits with the need to ensure safety for children as well as for the pets themselves.