Lil' Paws Maltese Rescue and other Petite Paws exists to rescue, rehabilitate, and carefully rehome neglected and homeless Maltese and other small dogs. We are a 501c3 non-profit rescue group run entirely by a small group of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about the welfare of these dogs.

What we do

We are committed to rescuing Maltese and other small dogs. Lil' Paws spays/neuters every dog we take in, gets them examined by a veterinarian, gets them vaccinated, microchipped, heartworm tested, gives heartworm prevention, dentals, surgeries.....anything it takes to get the dogs healthy and ready to make the transition to their new lives.

We take particular care in placing our dogs. Our screening process includes an application, phone interview, personal and veterinary reference checks, and a visit to the potential owner's home to ensure the home and family is compatible with the pet's needs and our requirements. We do not adopt our dogs on a first come, first serve basis. Because we want this to be a permanent adoption, we will place the dog in the home best suited for him/her.

How we do it

We are run entirely by volunteers. We receive no public funding. Any volunteer you meet, speak to, or correspond with, is giving generously of their time and energy, to keep Lil' Paws going. Our organization is completely dependent on contributions from adopters and donors.

We do not have a facility. All of the dogs in our rescue live in the homes of our volunteers until they find their forever home. They are cared for and loved as our own dogs and receive the safety and affection they so deserve while waiting to find their forever homes. This also gives us an opportunity to get to know the dog one on one and give an accurate evaluation and assessment of each dog's personality, therefore enabling us to match the dog to the type of family it needs.

Our Commitment

We are committed to the well being of every single dog we rescue. We often take dogs that others are unable to because of an injury or medical condition that must be taken care of before the dog is adoptable.

We have a lifetime commitment to all of our dogs. Should any unforeseen situations arise with the adoptive family and the dog can no longer be cared for by them, we will always accept them back into our organization. In fact, our adoption contract includes a "return to rescue" provision in which the adopting family must agree to return the dog to us if for any reason they cannot properly care for the dog.

We take pride in the level of service and care we give to our dogs and make great effort to ensure their safety and well being for the rest of their lives. Placement of our dogs happens only when the correct match for the dog is found.