# Why Do Maltese End up in Rescue?



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

This was written about Yorkies, but is just as true for Maltese.


According to statistics provided by the Humane Society of the United States, three million purebred dogs were dropped off at shelters across the country. Of these, more than 60% were not placed and had to be euthanized. About 25% of the dogs in shelters each year are purebred AKC-registered dogs.

So where are the purebred dogs coming from? The answer...puppy mills and irresponsible breeders. They don't care who they sell their puppies to as long as the customer pays the selling price. There is no screening of new owners or any discussion of breed peculiarities or special requirements.

Society today is also partly to blame. We live in a disposable society. People make impulse purchases and have no idea what they are getting into. When the dog becomes a problem, they dump it off at the shelter. It is no longer their problem.

Some animals are turned into shelter as a result of changing lifestyle. Marriage, divorce, a new baby or relocation are some of the common reasons we hear for dropping off a dog. Many older dogs are turned into shelters because they are not the active, playful dog they once were or they develop medical problems. Almost all these medical problems can be solved, but owners are unwilling to spend the time, money and effort to solve them....a very sad commentary on the values of today's society.

With puppy mills producing massive numbers of puppes to be sold to pet stores and backyard breeders hoping to earn a few extra dollars, there is an unlimited supply of puppies. Uninformed buyers unknowingly and innocently contribute to this problem. 

As a result of uncontrolled breeding, there have been a number of puppies born with health problems. Problems such as luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps), Liver Shunt ( a deadly abnormal blood supply to the liver) and Legg Perthes (abnormal hip joints) are common. Also many Yorkies weigh 9-10 pounds, not the expected 3-7 pound breed standard. So when the puppy does not turn out to be the cute little dog they were promised, off to the shelter they go. 

Dale A. Heisler D.V.M.
President and Medical Advisor


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## MaxMommy (Nov 1, 2005)

Well, let me tell you, I tried to adopt before I got Max, to no avail. All shelters state it is RARE to get a small sized toy (under ten pounds) and if they do get them...they are not there long.

I was on the metro maltese rescue list for over a year. I had just gotten an email asking me if I wished to remain on the list. I wasn't contacted about an available malti rescue not once.

As fast as the maltis are dropped off at shelters is as fast as they get adopted. The cuter the dog, the quicker the adoption. I was ready to drive up to ten hours for a rescue, but believe it or not...I couldn't find anything. The little ones go fast, they really do.


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## sherylmint (Nov 27, 2004)

I offered to adopt the 2 yr old Maltese in need on Long Island and she was adopted before I contacted 
the people who where giving her up for adoption.


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## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

Well its good to hear that people are adopting these small babies fast!


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## Sylphide and Shrek's Mom (Dec 4, 2004)

The cute little young ones in good health are generally adopted quickly. However, many of the older or special needs Malts stay in rescue for a long time.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Many shelters have been contacted by private breed rescues groups and contact them when a particular breed, like a Maltese, gets dropped off, so they are picked up before going in the main population. They are then adopted through the rescue group and potential adopters are carefully screened befoe they are approved.

Most of the really adoptable Maltese who come into rescue are already spoken for. Their future owners already have submitted applications and been approved and are just waiting for the perfect match! If you look on petfinder.com, most of the Maltese are older, have special needs or are mixed.

Maxmommy, were you ever actually approved to adopt? That might explain why you were on a list for so long. Metro Malts is a great group and like all rescues, are super fussy about where their rescues go. Things like small children, being a renter, no previous dog ownership/no vet recommendations, being a student, can disqualify a person. The dogs that come into rescue have already been given up once and the rescuers want to make sure that it doesn't happen a second time so they look for the most stable homes possible.


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## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

> The cute little young ones in good health are generally adopted quickly. However, many of the older or special needs Malts stay in rescue for a long time.[/B]










Its a shame...


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

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It is a shame. My Daisy has only had a few interested parties. I had one very nice man came to my house. He was pre-approved, and was interested in a senior Malt. He fell in love with Daisy and I was to drop her off, along with the adoption papers, in a couple of days. He called the next day and said his house-keeper, who would be giving most of the care, would rather he get a smaller dog. Daisy weighs 12-pounds. My heart was broken. I looked in her big beautiful eyes, and I saw a little puppy full of love. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I told her I decided to find her an even better home. Then we got on line, and ordered her some new dresses from Jodi. Shopping makes Daisy feel better, too. Daisy, by the way was surrendered by her original owners, of twelve years, because they didn't want to spend anymore on her health care, which was $300 to get her up, running around, and healthy.

Henry was a boomerang foster. I'm his fifth home. He was returned to the original foster over and over again for his potty problem. I bought him a belly-band, and with alot of patience, he is getting there. We have a long ways to go, but he is getting there. I love the little snuggle butt, so what the heck, I adopted him myself. He's now Billy's bestest friend. Speaking of Billy, well I couldn't see people beating down my door to adopt a goofy little blind puppy.

Yes the young, cute, little ones are adopted very quickly to pre-approved homes. But not many are willing to take in the ones who have had a hard life. The ones who need that little extra attention.


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

As I have mentioned before...Naddie was surrendered to a kill shelter! yes, she was in deplorable condition ... (sorry this is graphic).....
and had just about every parasite they can get and some not so "normal" such as cockroaches and maggots eating off her flesh under the inches of matting. She was pulled by a volunteer who goes to these kill shelters to save the dogs about to be put to sleep ( thank God for them!!!)
Though Naddie wasn't placed in a strictly Maltese rescue, the fosters recognized she needed a specific home. She was adopted out once, I understand, but returned because they said she was aggressive to their other dog. 
She was placed in a few foster homes before she ended at the one her in Ny where we adopted her from. 
I was told when I was called and told the application was accepted that there were twenty-something applicants for her that were rejected, mainly due to Naddie's separation anxiety and they lived in apartments and/or worked all day. Both, would likely would have caused naddie to be put back into the "system" and this would have only increased her "issues".

It was odd though,.. we were told there was one very nice lady that had been approved and came to the foster moms home to meet Naddie. naddie "politely" came to say hello then took off to the other roome to go about her business of playing with her toys. Foster mom called her back to the living room..Naddie say..another quick "acknowledgement..and back to ther other room to play. The lady said she felt she and Naddie weren't going to bond. 
On the other hand... when we came.. Naddie came bounding up onto the couch going back and forth to my husband and me, kissing and snuggling and didn't leave us alone. It was with this reaction of hers that the foster mom told of us the other lady and Naddie's very different reaction. She said in her experience with fostering.. most often the dogs "pick" thier potential owners.. and she tends to follow their "lead" when giving final approval. She said she had no question Naddie "approved" us








We were "warned" beforehand of her "issues". and yes, her potty habits were not good... but the der little girl simply didn't know what was expected of her...she also seemed to have fear of going in front of people. ( we were told she seemed to need "privacy... maybe due to her having been punished).
Her biggest issue that concerned me was her separation anxiety, I feared she would damage herself as she violently chewed the molding of the door of the room she was confined to.. scratched gouges into the door and scratched the hardwood floor down to the bare wood.
I can fully understand that the rescues try very hard ( at least the one we dealt with) to be sure the home the dog goes to has the understanding of the "issues" the dogs may have and want to be sure the owners will be willing to ride it out and work with the dog. I think many many of the dogs placed into rescue have some sort of "baggage"..if not initially.. then some developed simply due to the fact of being displaced form their homes..some more than once.
We have had Naddie about 3 months now... her potty is 99% "correct'..just an occassional mishap.
We worked with her separation and we now have left her with full run of the house a few times and had no damage!! horray!!
Though I do feel there are some groups or rather individual fosters that don't make the best judgement calls. I happen to think the "fenced-yard" rule with little Maltese is wrong. I don't feel a person who doesn't have the fenced yard should be ruled out because I, personally, don't think a little Malt should be left in a yard ,fenced or not, by themselves. I know many people who'd make fantastic Malt owners and don't have a fenced yard . ..but walk their dogs on a leash or "tether" them for play and stay in the yard with them.
Ok I've gone off on a "gabble"... sorry! LOL


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