ADOPTION

The day Pastor Scott Richerson and his wife Brandi had prayed would come finally did when their adoption of 11-year-old Andrew and 5-year-old Xavier was finalized Wednesday morning by a Comal County judge with a last-minute opening on the docket.

As his adoption was finalized, this 5-year-old wanted to say something about his mom in court – and it brought her to tears.

San Antonio Animal Care Services is asking anyone who is interested in fostering or adopting a new furry friend to do so, as time is of the essence for nearly 15 of its animals.

As the state grapples with possible abortion law changes from the U.S. Supreme Court, one San Antonio adoption advocate says more support and less judgment is needed for women who choose to have a child and place them for adoption.

May is Foster Care Awareness Month

Miley, a five-month-old puppy at the San Antonio Humane Society, is getting a fresh start after having life-saving heart surgery.

A San Antonio family adopted six children with down syndrome from Ukraine with the help of a man from that country. He was killed in recent fighting after the war broke out with Russia.

After being with San Antonio Pets Alive for 384 days, one lucky pup has found her forever home.

I will be available for adoption on Saturday 12/12 at PETSMART STAFFORD MARKETPLACE. The event runs from 12-4 or until... View on PetFinder

Google and Apple built a system to let people know if they've come in contact with someone who has covid-19. Many Americans still don't know it exists.

Saturday marks National Adoption Day, so with that in mind, we’d love to see your pictures.

November is Adoption Awareness Month. More than 1,200 kids are looking for a permanent home in the San Antonio area.

City of San Antonio Animal Care Services is hosting an emergency adoption event this week in hopes of relieving the overcrowding at the shelter.

Pest control can be costly and may contain harmful chemicals. But, Animal Care Services may have a better solution for you, and it comes with four paws and a tail.

San Antonio Pets Alive!, or SAPA!, will offer its first in-person adoption event since the pandemic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Petco located on 6001 NW Loop 410.

Three puppies are now safe with foster parents after being found in a box behind a Mexican restaurant on Saturday.

Six Month old Denali has made an amazing recovery from a serious case of Mange. Now, she's joyful, energetic, and looking for a new home!

A nationally recognized college student in San Antonio is celebrating more than one major milestone this year.

A chihuahua described as “a Chucky doll in a dog’s body” or a “haunted Victorian child” has officially found his forever home, according to his foster mom.

This dog is one-of-a-kind. Or, as his foster owner describes him, a “Chucky doll in a dog’s body” or a “haunted Victorian child.”

The Children’s Court Division made quick moves to make sure they were able to continue hearing cases. “Children’s court was pretty seamless. We had to be because what’s at stake when you’re talking about the safety and welfare of children,” Children’s Court Associate Judge Charles Montemayor. Montemayor has been hearing cases in the Children’s Court since 2005 and, at first, had no idea how the pandemic would affect his docket. Everything from court hearings, therapy sessions to adoption ceremonies went virtual.

San Antonio – San Antonio mental health professionals are urging parents facing any kind of challenges to seek help before taking matters in their own hands. In the court documents, Chairez told investigators at length about her mental health issues. Maybe there were signs that we missed.”Livingston said seeking help is crucial in these kinds of situations when dealing with mental health problems. “I think parents need to realize that it is ok sometimes to not be ok and not be able to handle everything that is expected of them,” Livingston said. Vigil tomorrow at 7627 W Military Dr, San Antonio, TX 78242 it’s a park7pm if anyone wants to join us.

SAN ANTONIO – Right now in Bexar County, more than 200 kids are waiting to be adopted. Family Tapestry has launched a new website hoping to make the process easier for potential families and also as a way for the kids to share their own stories. Texas Adoption Portal or TAP launched last month and features a profile page for every kid with what they are interested in, details about their personalities as well as information about their needs. “It’s not just about featuring them,” chief public relations officer for Family Tapestry and The Children’s Shelter Anai Biera Miracle said. Family Tapestry is hoping the portal makes it easier for potential families to step up and give some of these kids a forever home.

SAN ANTONIO – Texas was the first state in the nation to enact a Baby Moses Law allowing mothers to safely surrender their babies at hospitals, fire stations and police stations, without penalty. Now, advocates say Texas needs to follow other states like North Dakota and Missouri that have extended their laws, allowing mothers to surrender babies up to 12 months. “In 2011, we got a call for a baby and we were told she had been left at a fire station,” said Laurie Cobb, who adopted a Baby Moses baby nine years ago. Bella, now nine years old, had been safely surrendered as part of the Baby Moses Law. Related: Advocates want to extend age of babies allowed to be surrendered under Baby Moses law

I write this article to share some things I’ve learned that I hope maybe could help anybody else who is a foster parent or thinking about fostering. As a foster parent, I’ve learned that some things just don’t work and have to be adjusted. Foster parenting not only means having to have patience with the child and the situation but with the foster care system as well. Kids are resilientThe greatest pleasure of all this is seeing how much our little one has improved, learned and grown. Related:The realities of being a foster parentSan Antonio gay couple share their experience adopting a child during pandemicThinking of adopting?

SAN ANTONIO – Throughout the child welfare sector, experts say children of color have worse outcomes in the system when it comes to placement and adoption. Simmons, who sits on the Texas Advisory Committee on Promoting Adoption of Minority Children, said in Bexar County, Hispanic children wait the longest for adoption, followed closely by Black children. The extreme disparities have experts like Simmons reviewing parts of the system in desperate need of change. “Right now, the State of Texas has done a really great job of engaging with kinship programs reducing disparities for Black and Hispanic children,” Simmons said. Their adopted boys are Hispanic and Black, the two specific types of children that have historically and currently need adoption the most.

SAN ANTONIO – Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson fostered to adopt under two circumstances that could have come with barriers: one, in the middle of a pandemic, and two as a same sex couple. Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson and their children. (Credit: Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson) (Credit: Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson)Banks said the number of child removals has risen as domestic violence skyrockets amid the pandemic. Clint and Wellington chose SJRC specifically because of its good reputation and inclusivity for LGBTQ couples wanting to foster and adopt. If you’re interested in learning more about fostering or adoption, Banks said to contact agencies like SJRC and ask questions.

HOUSTON – It was an emotional reunion for one Tomball, Texas father and his daughter, who were separated at her birth and then came together again after 50 years. Winski’s daughter, Kerri Beggs, said at the age of 19, she began a quest to find her biological father. Beggs, who now lives in Tucson, Arizona, took a plane to Hobby Airport on Friday, a flight that was delayed. For the first time after a lifetime of missing each other, the father and daughter embraced each other. For the last four months, I’ve been looking forward to this day.”Added Winski, “She’s my little girl.

“Then, we found out there were four other siblings,” Jamie Hejduk said. Heather Hejduk said she thought their caseworker was joking when she asked the couple if they wanted all six. To add six children to four of their own was a family decision, Heather Hejduk’s husband said. “They just fit in our family,” Heather Hejduk said. “Little did she know her little sister wasn’t born till she was 16, and she didn’t meet her until last year,” Heather Heyduk said.

Then they found Trulight127 Ministries, a local foster and adoption agency that runs a foster care campus and offers classes for parents. Because of their skin color, there are certain tools that they need.”Her two sons are Hispanic and her daughter is African American. “Our foster families, especially when they’re adopting African American children, if you ignore the fact that they’re African American, you are setting them up to fail. “I didn’t know what to do with my daughter’s hair,” Megerson said. RELATED: Hope for a Home: Adoption questions answered

San Antonio The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is desperately looking for foster families in rural communities west of Bexar County. How a San Antonio foster care campus is getting creative amid COVID-19 pandemicCheronda Tillman, a foster care and adoption recruitment specialist, said it has always been challenging to recruit in rural communities. Its always been an issue trying to increase capacity when it comes to finding families that reside in those 27 counties surrounding Bexar, especially turning our attention to our rural west, she said. However, in rural communities recruiting is more personal, she said. Upwards -- somewhere around 200 children will come into the foster care system each and every month.