Chihuahuas fly from California to find Maine homes

Posted June 01, 2012, at 6:57 p.m.

Bethany Schulberg, 17, of Thomaston, held Flash, a chihuahua who was sent to the Humane Society of Knox County this week from a shelter in California. The California shelter is so inundated with the small dogs it euthanizes them. The 16 sent to Thomaston instead sell for $325, which pays for the dog and pays for another chihuahua to get sent to Maine this fall.

Heather Steeves | BDN

Humane Society of Knox County director Tracy Sala watched on Friday morning as Ken Smith, 86, of Rockland, walked his 3-year-old chihuahua Nancy to his car. "She picked me out," Smith explained, while holding the small, shaking dog in the shelter. "The other 15 barked and barked and ran away, but she came up to me, real quiet."

THOMASTON, Maine — Three Chihuahuas that otherwise would have been euthanized were adopted Thursday at the Humane Society of Knox County.

The Chihuahuas, 16 in total, were flown in from a California shelter that is inundated with the small dogs. This is the fourth time the Thomaston shelter has taken in Chihuahuas, which typically get adopted out quickly.

“They go fast. People like Chihuahuas. They just love small dogs and they are hard to find around here,” said the shelter’s director, Tracy Sala. “I constantly have huskies and lab mixes, but few small dogs.”

The Chihuahuas cost $325, which pays for the dog itself and for another dog to be sent to Maine this fall.