How to Get a Free Maltese Safely in the United States
To get a free Maltese safely in the United States, meet the dog and its owner in person, ask detailed questions about its health and history, sign a short transfer note, and have your own vet examine it within days. Never pay shipping, crate or paperwork fees for a free Maltese: the Federal Trade Commission warns that piling on fees like these is a classic pet scam.
Genuine free Maltese are usually adults whose owners can no longer care for them. They can make wonderful companions, but a free dog of this breed still needs daily coat care, dental work and sometimes treatment for knee or heart problems over a life of 12 to 15 years. This guide explains why free Maltese appear, what they cost, which red flags to watch and how to take one home safely.
Key points
- Genuine free Maltese are often adults rehomed because of an owner's illness, death, move or loss of housing.
- Ask about knees, teeth, heart murmurs, tremors and seizures, and see the vet records before you travel.
- A free Maltese puppy that must be shipped after you pay a fee fits the scam pattern the FTC describes.
- Breed rescues charge an adoption donation but usually include vaccines, spay or neuter and a microchip.
Why are Maltese offered for free?
The American Maltese Association's rescue says the dogs it takes in come from shelters, the death of a primary caretaker, owners whose health has changed and people facing the loss of their home. Similar reasons lie behind many free listings. Because Maltese often live 12 to 15 years, many are mature or senior dogs by the time their owner can no longer keep them.
A free puppy deserves extra caution. Members of the breed club agree not to supply dogs for raffles or give-away prizes and keep puppies until 12 weeks, so ask where a free puppy came from, how old it is and why it is free; scammers also use free puppies as bait. Free Maltese are listed rarely, so browse free Maltese listings and save the search to get alerts when a new one appears near you.
What does a free Maltese really cost?
A free dog often arrives with missed vet care, and the Maltese coat and teeth add their own costs. Typical figures:
| Item | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Spay or neuter | $50 to $300 | American Kennel Club |
| Microchip | $25 to $50 | American Kennel Club |
| Wellness vet visits | $150 to $400 a year | American Kennel Club |
| Food | $275 to $800 a year | American Kennel Club |
| Full groom | From $65 at one salon, from $130 at another | Petful, 2026 |
| Dental cleaning under anesthesia | Ask your vet for a quote | Often needed; the breed club says Maltese are prone to tartar and early tooth loss |
Compare that with a breed rescue. Northcentral Maltese Rescue, for example, asks an adoption donation of $150 to $550 depending on the dog's age and circumstances, and its dogs are vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped before adoption. See our guide to adopting a Maltese.
How do you spot a free Maltese scam?
The FTC lists these warning signs for pet scams, and Maltese ads add a few of their own:
- The Maltese is free, but you must first pay for shipping, a crate, insurance or vet papers.
- The owner is far away and cannot meet, video chat or even talk by phone.
- Payment must be by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a cash-transfer app.
- The puppy is described as teacup or micro, a label the breed standard does not recognize.
- The puppy is coming from abroad. The CDC requires every dog entering the US to be at least six months old and microchipped.
- The photos show up elsewhere in a reverse image search, or you are pushed to decide today.
A genuine free dog costs you nothing until you meet it. If anyone asks for money first, stop and use the Report Scam button on the listing.
What should you ask about a free Maltese's health and history?
- How old is the dog, what does it weigh, and how long have you had it?
- Why are you giving it away, and did it come from a breeder whose contract asks for it back?
- Has a vet ever mentioned slipping kneecaps, a heart murmur or a liver problem?
- When were its teeth last cleaned, and were any pulled?
- Has it ever had tremors, seizures or a honking cough?
- How does it cope when left alone, and is it house-trained?
- How is it with children, other dogs, cats and visitors?
- Is it spayed or neutered and microchipped, and can I have the vet records?
Ask these through PetzLover's messages before you travel, so you have the answers in writing.
What should a vet check on a free Maltese?
Book a full exam within a few days and tell the vet you want breed-specific checks. VCA lists these problems in Maltese at different ages:
- Knees: patellar luxation, which a vet can feel by examining the legs.
- Teeth: dental disease, which VCA calls one of the most common issues in the breed.
- Heart: a murmur can point to a congenital defect or, in older dogs, heart valve disease.
- Windpipe: a honking cough can be a sign of tracheal collapse; use a harness rather than a collar.
- Liver: if the dog is small for its age or acts oddly after meals, ask about a bile acid test for a liver shunt.
- Eyes: some tear staining is normal on a white face, but the club advises a vet check first to rule out blocked tear ducts or ingrown lashes; older dogs can develop cataracts.
How do you meet and take home a free Maltese safely?
- Meet in daylight at the owner's home, and bring another adult.
- Watch the dog walk and play: a skip or held-up back leg can mean a slipping kneecap.
- Ask a vet or shelter to scan the microchip; the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup shows which registry holds it.
- Get a short signed note with both names, the date and the dog's description.
- Collect the records, food, harness and grooming tools, then register the chip in your name.
- Give the dog a quiet first week and keep to its old meal times.
Pennsylvania, for example, bans transferring ownership of any dog under eight weeks old, even for free, and other states have similar rules. A Maltese puppy offered at five or six weeks is far too young.
Is a Maltese rescue a better choice than a free dog?
Often, yes. American Maltese Association Rescue places dogs through approved foster homes and pays their medical bills, including spay or neuter and dental care, so you learn how the dog behaves in a real home before you commit. A rehomed dog from a private owner is the other route; see taking in a rehomed Maltese. If you cannot find the right dog, post a Maltese wanted ad.
If you are the owner placing a Maltese, read how to give away a Maltese safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you really get a free Maltese?
Yes, but rarely. Genuine free Maltese are often adults whose owners have fallen ill, died, moved or lost their housing. Free Maltese puppies are uncommon, and scammers use free puppies as bait.
Why would someone give away a Maltese for free?
Often because their life has changed, not because the dog has a problem. Still, ask about health and behavior, since knee, dental and heart problems are common in older Maltese.
Is a free Maltese puppy shipped to me a scam?
It very often is. The FTC warns about sellers who ask for shipping, crate or insurance fees for a pet you have not met. A puppy flown in from abroad also breaks the CDC rule that imported dogs be at least six months old.
What health problems should I ask about with a free Maltese?
Ask about slipping kneecaps, dental disease, heart murmurs, liver shunt, tremors and seizures. Ask for the vet records and book your own exam within days.
Is adopting a Maltese cheaper than getting one free?
Sometimes. Rescues charge a donation, such as $150 to $550 at Northcentral Maltese Rescue, but usually include vaccines, spay or neuter and a microchip. Using AKC estimates, a puppy's core vaccines, spay or neuter and microchip together cost about $150 to $450 if you pay for them yourself.
Do I need a contract for a free Maltese?
No law in most places requires one, but a short signed note with both names, the date and the dog's description makes ownership clear. Check whether the dog's breeder contract asks for it to go back to the breeder first.
Helpful guides
Pet for FreeHow to Give Away a Maltese for Free Without Risk in the United StatesContact your breeder first, list your Maltese honestly, screen every applicant on children, time alone and coat care, then hand over in person with records and a signed agreement.
Pet for SaleHow to Buy a Maltese Puppy in the United StatesBuy a Maltese puppy from a breeder who tests the parents' knees, heart and liver, keeps puppies until 12 weeks, gives a written contract and never sells teacup Maltese.
Pet for SaleHow to Sell Maltese Puppies in the United StatesCheck federal, state and local rules, screen the parents' knees, heart and liver, keep Maltese puppies until 12 weeks, price honestly without teacup labels, and hand over in person with a contract.
Pet for AdoptionHow to Adopt a Maltese in the United StatesApply to a Maltese breed rescue or shelter, expect references, a home visit and rules on young children, budget for an adoption donation, and plan a calm first few weeks.
Pet for AdoptionHow to List a Maltese for Adoption in the United StatesSet adopter criteria suited to a fragile toy dog, price the fee by age and vet work, describe the dog's health honestly, check references and the home, and sign a contract with a return clause.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed Maltese in the United StatesAsk a rehoming owner about the Maltese's history, knees, teeth, heart and habits, meet it at home, pay any fee only at collection, and give it a calm routine while it settles.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your Maltese Responsibly in the United StatesAsk your breeder or a Maltese rescue first, then list your dog honestly, disclose every health and behavior issue, set a modest fee, screen applicants and hand over in person with records.
Pet WantedHow to Respond to a "Maltese Wanted" Ad in the United StatesMessage the person behind a Maltese wanted ad, ask about their home, children, time alone and grooming plans, verify them by video and a vet reference, and never accept overpayments or shipping.
Pet WantedHow to Post a "Maltese Wanted" Ad and Get Replies in the United StatesDescribe the Maltese you want, your home and your timeline, set a budget from real price ranges, ask for tested parents rather than a teacup size, and check every reply before you pay anything.