5The Maltese is a popular small dog with a loyal and loving personality. Breeders use Maltese to create so-called designer dogs. Both purebreds and designer dogs are showing up in shelters throughout Illinois. Most shelters can find a home for a healthy young purebred dog; however, they often need help with older dogs and dogs with behavior or medical issues. Rescue groups provide a safety net for harder-to-place dogs. Starting a Maltese rescue group in Illinois is a difficult undertaking, but it will result in many more dogs' lives being saved.
- Volunteer for an established rescue group. North Central Maltese Rescue operates in Illinois and can always use good volunteers. Offer to perform as many duties as possible so you learn how a rescue operates. You can foster dogs, arrange adoption events, process adoption applications and throw a fund-raiser.Meet with a lawyer to set up a nonprofit corporation. Also discuss how protect yourself from personal liability. Ask the Illinois Bar Association for a referral to an attorney who specializes in business. Consult with an accountant to set up the rescue books and learn about taxes. Referrals for accountants can be found from the Illinois CPA Society. Ask your veterinarian for discount pricing for routine services such as vaccinations, parasite control and spay or neuter surgery.Apply for a license from the state of Illinois Department of Agriculture. Foster homes that take in more than four animals at a time must be licensed through the rescue/shelter.Join an online shelter portal such as Petfinder or Pets911. These services provide free Web pages and searchable photos of adoptable animals. Site visitors can search by location and breed, so Illinois residents looking for a Maltese will be able to find your dogs quickly.Prepare and distribute an information package for shelters. Include contact information for rescue members who are allowed to pick up dogs from the shelter and your veterinarian’s phone number so the shelter can call for a reference. Describe the types of dogs that your rescue will take. Start with the shelters that are near your home, which you can locate through a zip code search on Petfinder.
