← LocalPetFinder

Maltese Rescue & Adoption

6 adoptable malteses listed on LocalPetFinder

Browse malteses by city

Nova Scotia

Halifax0

Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's0

Quebec

Montreal0

How much does a Maltese cost to adopt?

Adults: $300–$600 CAD
Puppies: $500–$900 CAD

Typical Canadian rescue range. The fee usually covers spay/neuter, core vaccinations, microchip, deworming, and a veterinary health check before placement. The exact amount varies by rescue and by the dog's age and medical history — the live number is on each rescue profile below.

Showing 6 dogs

Get notified when a Maltese is listed

We will email you the moment a Maltese becomes available in Canada, from a rescue or an owner rehoming.

One email when there’s a match. Unsubscribe anytime.

About the Maltese

The Maltese is a small dog breed originating in Malta / Mediterranean. Adult dogs typically weigh 4 to 8 pounds and live 12 to 15 years. The breed is described as affectionate, people-bonded, low-shedding, gentle.

Households wanting a small, affectionate lap dog and willing to commit to daily brushing of the long white coat. Families with very young kids (the breed is fragile at 4–8 pounds) or owners who won't keep up with coat care.

Adult Malteses need about 30 minutes of daily exercise; adolescent dogs typically need 40 minutes. The coat is long-coated with low shedding, and weekly brushing keeps the coat manageable.

LocalPetFinder aggregates adoptable Malteses from rescues across Canada into one searchable place. Use the city links above to narrow to your area, or browse the full list below.

Common health concerns for Malteses

  • Luxating patellas
    Kneecap dislocation; common in toy breeds, often manageable without surgery. Source: VCA →
  • Dental disease
    Small mouths overcrowded with teeth; daily brushing is genuinely needed. Source: VCA →
  • Portosystemic liver shunt
    A congenital condition occasionally seen in the breed; testable with bloodwork. Source: VCA →

Editorial summary for adopters, not medical advice. Consult your veterinarian for individual health guidance.

Maltese Adoption FAQ

Tap a question to expand

How many Maltese are available for adoption in Canada?▼
As of August 2026, 6 Maltese are available for adoption in Canada across 5 rescues on LocalPetFinder. Listings update regularly as dogs are adopted and new ones arrive — browse the current Maltese above and apply directly through the rescue.
Where can I adopt a Maltese near me in Canada?▼
LocalPetFinder lists adoptable Malteses from rescues across Canada in one searchable place. Use the city links above the listing to narrow to a city near you, or browse the full inventory below. Each profile links straight to the rescue to apply.
How long do Malteses live?▼
Malteses typically live 12 to 15 years.
How much exercise does a Maltese need?▼
Adult Malteses need about 30 minutes of daily exercise. Adolescent dogs (under 2 years) typically need 40 minutes — more than mature adults.
What are common health concerns for Malteses?▼
Breed-associated conditions to ask the rescue about include Luxating patellas, Dental disease, Portosystemic liver shunt. See the citations in the Health section above for authoritative information on each. This is editorial summary, not medical advice — consult your vet for individual guidance.
How much does it cost to adopt a Maltese in Canada?▼
Adoption fees for a Maltese from a Canadian rescue typically range $300 to $600 CAD for adults, with puppies usually $500 to $900. That fee normally covers the spay or neuter, core vaccinations, microchip, deworming, and a veterinary health check before placement. The exact number varies by rescue and the dog's age, medical history, and how long they have been in care — the live amount shows on each rescue profile.
Are these Malteses for sale in Canada?▼
Not for sale, for adoption, which is usually the better deal. Every Maltese here comes from a Canada rescue or shelter, not a breeder, pet store, or classified seller. Adoption fees are typically $300 to $600, with puppies at $500 to $900 and already include vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter when age-appropriate, versus roughly $2,000 to $5,000 or more to buy a Maltese from a breeder. If you searched "maltese for sale canada" or "maltese puppies for sale," adopting gets you a healthy, vetted dog for a fraction of the price.
Where can I buy a Maltese in Canada, and should I?▼
You can buy from a registered breeder, but it is worth weighing against adoption first. A reputable Maltese breeder typically charges $2,000 to $5,000 or more and often has a waitlist, while a rescue Maltese costs $300 to $600, with puppies at $500 to $900 fully vetted and may be available now. Be cautious of cheap maltese-for-sale ads on classified sites and marketplaces, which are frequently backyard breeders or puppy-mill resellers with unvetted, sometimes sick animals and no health guarantee. If you do buy, insist on seeing where the puppies were raised and getting vet records. For most families in Canada, adopting a rescue Maltese is cheaper, faster, and gives a dog in need a home.
Are there free Malteses in Canada, or malteses under $500?▼
Adoption is the closest honest answer, and it is not free. A rescue Maltese in Canada typically costs $300 to $600, with puppies at $500 to $900, so the lower end lands under the "$500" people search for and the rest does not. What the fee buys is work already done, the vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter, which would cost more than the fee itself if you arranged it yourself, and it is still far below breeder prices. Be wary of genuinely free maltese listings. An animal advertised free to a good home has usually not been vetted, and free rehoming ads are the route flippers and unregistered breeders use to move animals with no health guarantee and no recourse. Paying a rescue fee buys you a dog someone has already examined, treated, and been honest with you about.
Are there Maltese puppies in Canada, or only adults?▼
Both, but adults far outnumber puppies, and it is worth knowing that before you start looking. Most Malteses arriving in Canada rescue are adolescents and adults, because that is the age at which first homes tend to give up. Puppies do come through, usually as accidental litters or with a surrendered mother, and they are typically spoken for quickly. Setting an alert beats refreshing the page. It is also worth asking whether you actually want one: an adult arrives with a temperament a foster has already observed and described, where a Maltese puppy is a prediction, and for this breed in particular knowing what you are getting is the more useful thing.
Where can I find a Maltese near me in Canada?▼
Start with the listings on this page, which pull from Canada rescues and shelters and are refreshed regularly, so what you see is what is genuinely available rather than a stale directory. If nothing suits today, that is normal for this breed: rescue intake is intermittent rather than steady, and a breed with none listed this week often has several next month. Setting an alert beats checking back, and it is worth widening to nearby towns, since most rescues serving Canada will adopt out across a reasonable driving distance rather than only inside one municipality.

Need to rehome your Maltese?

If you are on the other side of this page and need to find your maltese a new home, we have a breed-specific guide: the rescues worth contacting first, realistic timelines, and how to screen adopters. Listing on LocalPetFinder is free.

How to rehome a Maltese responsibly →

Looking for maltese adoption in a specific city? Each city link above has a city-scoped page with local rescue context, off-leash parks, and city-specific FAQ. Or browse the Calgary Maltese adoption guide for the most detailed local content we have.

Adopt a Maltese by province

Malteses in AlbertaMalteses in OntarioMalteses in British ColumbiaMalteses in SaskatchewanMalteses in ManitobaMalteses in Nova ScotiaMalteses in New BrunswickMalteses in Newfoundland and LabradorMalteses in Quebec