Adoption

Adoption is an option in both The Sims, The Sims 2, and The Sims 3. It allows a couple (opposite- or same-sex) or a single Sim to adopt a child.

Adoption process
In The Sims, Sim couples get random calls from adoption centers asking if they want to adopt a baby. The adoption center will not call a single Sim.

In The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. Sims can initiate the adoption of a child over the phone by calling the "Adoption Center" under the Service menu, but only if the Social Worker has not taken one of their kids. In The Sims 2, the household must have at least §3000 simoleons on hand (though adoption itself does not cost any money) and below 8 household members to adopt.

If the family is approved, the Social Worker will bring the new child the next day at 10 AM. To make sure someone is there to receive the child, it's best to call the day before a Sim's day off.

At 10 AM the Social Worker will arrive and the player will be asked which age they want they adopted child be, a baby, toddler, or child. In The Sims 3 the player may also choose the sex of the child. This is the only option the player has when adopting. Not answering will give a child. If a baby who wasn't taken away by the social worker is being adopted, then the player gets to name him/her. Toddlers and children will already be named. At least in The Sims 2, the adopted child will have the last name of the Sim who made the call.

Families may not be allowed to adopt a child if the Social Worker has taken away a child in their household before.

Adopting children taken by the Social Worker
Children who have been taken away from a family by a Social Worker are first in line to be adopted by another family.

When a child that was taken away from another family is adopted, their old parents and siblings will remain in their family tree and they will have no family relationship with their new parents. This makes adopting such children closer to fostering than actual adoption.

Adopting pets
In Unleashed, pets can be bought at community lots in Old Town if they have the Frisky Feline Promo Pen and/or the Fluffy Puppy Pet Bin.

In The Sims 2: Pets, Sims can call the pet adoption service and adopt a kitten or puppy, or an adult cat or dog. There are also premade pet shops in the Lots and Houses bin, and if the player places one in the neighborhood, Sims can go to them and adopt adult cats and dogs. Of course, players can also go into CAS, create a cat or dog, and merge it into an existing (non-University) household.

In both games, Sims can adopt strays that wander onto their lot.