Mercey was rescued from a kill shelter by a very loving women whom adopted her just as her "time" was up at the shelter. Her story is told below by her rescuer and foster mom :

 

"I rescued this small little white dog last year from the animal shelter.  She didn’t have any applications of interest and her time was up, so they were about to put her down.  She looked like she had not had too many happy days, if any at all.  She was very dirty, underweight, needed medical attention and had obviously been treated very unkindly.  She was scared to get close or let you touch her.  She cowered when you raised your hand to pet her. 

I adopted her from the shelter, with hopes to get her healthy again so that she would have a better chance of finding a good home.  Many people will not adopt a dog that does not look pretty or healthy.  Sometimes people can’t see beyond the current condition of the animal, and that all that is needed to get better is a bit of time and commitment to stick with them through the path of recovery.  After all, it’s certainly not the animal’s fault that they have been neglected and abused. 
She got her shots from the animal shelter in October 09 when I adopted her.  In December 09, once she gained some weight and started doing a little better, she had all her surgeries.  She had her teeth cleaned and 2 teeth pulled.  She had tumors removed from her mammary glands, several tumors removed externally all over her body, one was quite sizable on the top of her head.  She has since healed and looks quite cute now. 

I named this little girl Mercy.  She is probably at least 10 years old.  She weighs 12.7 lbs (barely 8 when I got her).  She has a very sweet, kind of timid personality.  Though she does get frisky and playful for a bit every now and then.  She is fine with other dogs, as I have 3 permanent dogs she has done very well with.  I have never had her around cats, but I suspect she would like them too since she seems to like everyone else.  She has a fabulous appetite, now that she enjoys getting as much food as she wants.  She is house trained, she goes out well on her own.  As soon as you open the door, she is ready to go out and take care of business. 

Mercy needs a home where she can relax and know that she will always have plenty to eat, be treated kindly and where she can just be her low-key self.  She likes to rest a lot, but does enjoy being playful and rolling in the grass occasionally."

 

According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, this ancient dog was described by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus as belonging to the "Melita" breed, an archaic name for Malta. It was developed in Italy with the addition of miniature spaniel and poodle blood. It was thought that these lively little dogs were first brought to England by Crusaders returning home from the Mediterranean. The breed became particularly popular with women, who often carried them in their sleeves and even to their beds. The dog was not only popular with women though. Publius, the Roman governor of Malta, prized his Maltese enough to commission a portrait of "Issa" and even have poetry written about her. Today, the glamorous Maltese is an adored pet and sought-after show dog. The Maltese is spirited, lively and playful. Gentle, loving, trusting and devoted to its master. Highly intelligent. Good at learning tricks if he feels sufficiently rewarded. Bold and quick to sound the alarm in case of suspicious noises. It is a classical companion dog; graceful and lovable. They do well with other animals. Maltese love to play outdoors but have a penchant for jumping in puddles. A bath must follow! These dogs can be snappish with inconsiderate children and may be difficult to housebreak. Sometimes they are picky eaters. Include small biscuits and dry dog food in this breed's regular diet to help the teeth stay strong and healthy. Do not over-pamper or overprotect these little dogs, for some become unstable, and some may become jealous of visitors. They have a life expectancy of 15-18 years.