The story about a Kentucky woman who sent her adopted son back to Russia has adoption advocates worried. In an effort to keep adoption possibilities open, some advocates are petitioning the leaders of both Russia and the United States not to halt adoptions.

According to an April 13 Associated Press article, the adoption petition has already amassed more than 11,000 signatures:

Poignant pleas from would-be adoptive parents were included in the petition to President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitri Medvedev, that was being coordinated Tuesday by the Joint Council on International Children's Services. The council, which represents many U.S. agencies engaged in international adoption, estimates there are about 3,000 pending U.S. applications for adoptions from Russia.

"My husband and I have been working toward a Russian adoption for two years now," wrote Susan Busek, a teacher from Loveland, Colo. "Please know that there are many would-be parents like us, who want only the opportunity to be parents and give our love."

Labels: international, Russia

Posted By: Aspen/CRC