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Maltese Adoption Ontario

Adoptable Maltese across Ontario. Tiny white-coated companions. Mitral valve disease is the breed-defining cardiac risk.

4 Maltese listed across 3 cities from 2 rescues

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Adopting a Maltese in Ontario

Maltese are uncommon in Ontario rescue intake — most are rehomed privately through breeder and toy-dog networks, so when one is listed at the Toronto Humane Society, City of Toronto Animal Services, or the Ottawa Humane Society, applications close within days. Set up an alert and apply within 24 to 48 hours of a dog appearing. Maltese crosses (Maltipoo, Malshi, Morkie) appear more often than purebreds and are worth considering if the goal is a small family-friendly toy rather than a show-line purebred specifically.

The Maltese that do reach Ontario rescue tend to be seniors surrendered when an owner has died or moved into care, or 4 to 8 year old adults surrendered for dental and cardiac costs the family could not absorb. Senior Maltese are often the easiest, most rewarding adoptions — small, settled, and used to a quiet home.

Mitral valve disease — the breed-defining cardiac risk

Maltese are heavily predisposed to mitral valve disease (MVD), the same cardiac condition that defines Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Onset typically begins in late middle age. A senior rescue Maltese should have recent cardiac auscultation noted in the intake file. Daily MVD management once diagnosed includes medication (pimobendan, ACE inhibitors), weight management, and regular cardiologist follow-up. GTA cardiac referrals usually go to VCA Canada or the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph; Ottawa cases often refer to OVC for complex echocardiograms.

Lifetime cardiac care for a Maltese with MVD can run $2,000 to $4,000 in medication and monitoring over the disease course. Pet insurance taken out before any heart murmur is documented is strongly recommended for the breed. Ask the rescue specifically about any heart murmur grade noted at intake, and whether the dog has had a recent cardiac ultrasound.

Tiny white-coated dogs in a GTA winter

Maltese are 4 to 7 pounds with a single long silky coat. Cold-vulnerable in Toronto and Ottawa winter. An insulated coat and booties are realistic from December through February, and many GTA Maltese owners use indoor potty pads through the deepest cold rather than fight short outdoor sessions. The white coat shows every speck of Toronto street salt and slush — daily face and paw wipes are routine through winter. The long flowing coat usually gets kept in a short "puppy cut" at professional grooming every 4 to 6 weeks at $45 to $75 per visit in the GTA. Dental disease is severe — most need professional cleaning every 12 to 18 months. Hypoglycaemia in puppies under six months is the main puppy-stage emergency.

Looking more broadly? Browse every adoptable dog across the province on Dog Adoption Ontario.

The rescues that most often list Maltese across the province are Toronto Humane Society, City of Toronto Animal Services, and Ottawa Humane Society. For breed-specific background, the Canadian Kennel Club is a useful reference.

Maltese Adoption FAQ — Ontario

Tap a question to expand

How many Maltese are available for adoption in Ontario?▼
As of October 2026, 4 Maltese are available for adoption in Ontario across 2 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 Ontario?▼
Maltese are uncommon in Ontario rescue and most are placed privately. The Toronto Humane Society, City of Toronto Animal Services, and the Ottawa Humane Society see them occasionally. Set up an alert and apply within 24 to 48 hours of a dog appearing. A flexible adopter open to a senior Maltese or a cross (Maltipoo, Malshi, Morkie) will find a match faster than one waiting for a young purebred.
How serious is mitral valve disease in Maltese?▼
It is the breed-defining cardiac concern. Maltese are heavily predisposed to MVD with typical onset in late middle age. Lifetime medication and monitoring can run $2,000 to $4,000 over the disease course at GTA or OVC Guelph cardiology. Ask the rescue specifically about any heart murmur grade noted at intake. Pet insurance taken out before any murmur is documented is strongly recommended for the breed.
Are Maltese cold-tolerant in Toronto winters?▼
No. The single thin coat and 4 to 7 pound body size make them among the most cold-vulnerable breeds in Ontario. An insulated coat and booties are realistic from December through February in Toronto and Ottawa, and many GTA Maltese owners use indoor potty pads through the deepest cold rather than fight short outdoor sessions.
What does a Maltese adoption fee include in Ontario?▼
Ontario adoption fees generally run about $400 to $700 for a Maltese, covering spay or neuter, vaccinations, deworming, and microchip. Dental and cardiac condition at intake are the most important things to ask about specifically. Professional dental cleaning every 12 to 18 months at $800 to $1,500 in the GTA, plus potential lifetime MVD medication, are realistic ongoing costs.
What is the difference between a Maltese and a Maltipoo?▼
A Maltipoo is a Maltese crossed with a Poodle, so it is a different dog with its own page here, not a variety of Maltese. Availability is the difference most adopters run into first. Purebred Maltese are uncommon in rescue and move quickly when they appear; Maltipoos and Maltese crosses surface more often, because they were bought in larger numbers and are more likely to be surrendered when the grooming commitment lands. If you are watching for either, watch both pages rather than one.
Can I get a Maltese free to a good home in Ontario?▼
Rarely, and it is worth understanding why. Rescues and shelters in Ontario charge an adoption fee rather than rehoming dogs for free, because the fee covers veterinary work already done — spay or neuter, vaccinations, microchip — and because a fee is one of the few filters against someone taking an animal they cannot afford to keep. Private "free to a good home" ads are the riskier route: they are a known channel for people who flip animals for resale, and the dog usually comes with no vet history, no spay or neuter, and no way to check what you are being told. If cost is the constraint, the practical routes are an owner rehoming a Maltese directly, where fees are often low or waived, and adult or senior dogs at a rescue, which are frequently reduced because they wait longest. Both give you a dog whose history someone can actually tell you about.
Are these Maltese for sale in Ontario?▼
Not for sale, for adoption, which is usually the better deal. Every Maltese here comes from an Ontario rescue or shelter, not a breeder, pet store, or classified seller. Adoption fees are typically $250 to $650, with puppies at $450 to $800 and already include vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter when age-appropriate, versus roughly several thousand dollars to buy a Maltese from a breeder. If you searched "maltese for sale ontario" 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 Ontario, and should I?▼
You can buy from a registered breeder, but it is worth weighing against adoption first. A reputable Maltese breeder typically charges several thousand dollars and often has a waitlist, while a rescue Maltese costs $250 to $650, with puppies at $450 to $800 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 Ontario, adopting a rescue Maltese is cheaper, faster, and gives a dog in need a home.
Are there free Maltese in Ontario, or maltese under $500?▼
Adoption is the closest honest answer, and it is not free. A rescue Maltese in Ontario typically costs $250 to $650, with puppies at $450 to $800, 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 Ontario, or only adults?▼
Both, but adults far outnumber puppies, and it is worth knowing that before you start looking. Most Maltese arriving in Ontario 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 Ontario?▼
Start with the listings on this page, which pull from Ontario 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 Ontario will adopt out across a reasonable driving distance rather than only inside one municipality.

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Maltese adoption by city in Ontario

Each city page lists only the maltese available from rescues serving that city, with local adoption details.

Maltese adoption in St. Catharines2Maltese adoption in Toronto1Maltese adoption in Ottawa0Maltese adoption in Hamilton0Maltese adoption in London0Maltese adoption in Kitchener0Maltese adoption in Windsor0Maltese adoption in Kingston0Maltese adoption in Peterborough0Maltese adoption in Sudbury0Maltese adoption in Barrie0Maltese adoption in Thunder Bay0Maltese adoption in Orangeville0Maltese adoption in Whitby0Maltese adoption in Orillia0Maltese adoption in Stouffville0Maltese adoption in Bracebridge0Maltese adoption in Midland0Maltese adoption in Napanee0Maltese adoption in Pembroke0Maltese adoption in Guelph0

Need to rehome a Maltese?

If you can no longer keep your Maltese, you can list them for free on LocalPetFinder. Your dog stays in your home until you find the right family, you screen who applies, and there is no surrender fee. Not sure yet? Our guide to surrendering a dog in Canada walks through every option first.

List your dog for free →