Cockney had choice for pet-rescue (8)

I believe the answer is:

adoption

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'pet-rescue' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'cockney had choice' is the wordplay.
'cockney had' becomes ''ad' ('had' said with a cockney accent, dropping the 'H').
'choice' becomes 'option' (synonyms).
'ad'+'option'='ADOPTION'

'for' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for adoption that I've seen before include "Choosing (of a candidate for office)" , "Legal process of taking a child into one's family" , "process to select candidate" , "Appropriation from another source" , "Espousal, a fostering" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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