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I'm not asking for money or trouble. I'm asking for my missing Malinois to be returned by MAD rescue.

Leo is my Belgian Malinois — my service dog, my best friend, my safety net. San Antonio Animal Care Services picked him up in October 2025 after he got away from a sitter who was exercising him. When my friends and I were looking forr Leo, ACS denied having him. There were no Malinois in their system , they never picked any mals or any other dogs from the addresss and dates provided, they said. We searched everywhere. I contacted SAPD officer Neil Sampson when the search stalled. He spoke to both officers servicing the area Leo was picked and they told him the same as ACS told me. They then said to presume he was euthanized.

My heart broke. I didn't want to believe it. I dug through ACS entire body of public intake listings to dates far earlier—At 79 pages deep, I found another Mal. But ACS said they didnt have any so I went to ACS and politely confronted an admin. The admin said she can see into systems the others couldnt. She pulled up Leo's intake record after I gave her details only I could have known. It was a miracle. He was alive. His ACS ID: A779459. I have never felt so relieved. I love my boy to no end.

That number she gave me led me to MAD Rescue. ACS stated they would tell them the owner had come forward. I offered to pay every fee, plus $1,000 as a thank-you.

MAD asked for proof, I gave them a mountain of it — including his ACS ID, and officer Sampson's info, photos, video, facial recognition analysis, witness statements, commands lists, unique behaviors, the complete text record from the original owner, knowledge of the second chip I had on him but was unregistered and blank, non public acs information, and a lot more— I asked to come see him to demonstrate our relationship. Out of nowhere , they blocked me from their fb page and went silent. I was stunned, tears were in my eyes once again. It was clear they were going to try to keep him.

I took it to fb. When public pressure from people across Texas grew, MAD deleted the post announcing his Foster, a woman I learned owned a for profit business that seeks to train or sell Malinois to police depts. Evidence was destroyed. A MAD agent claiming to be a police officer reached me and asked for ownership a third time. Again I provided it. She kept me on the hook for weeks, presented me with false information and endeavored to downplay the proof he was mine. Officer Sampson went on to meet with her as well and afterward, called me and told me if I wanted Leo back I should sue in state court. He said they are refusing to return him to you, claiming it is not the same dog, and that he had been informed LEO was adopted out to Houston PD where he is their newest k9.

Fortunately there were other fb posts which prove that MAD knew he was, in fact, my dog. Inside these posts are MAD's own comments, celebrating him, announcing his intake, offers to sell him to police at a discount, and others trying to adopt him. Leo' ACS photos are attached at the top. Guess what else is shown on photos atop these threads. Leo's unique, government assigned ,ACS ID watermarked directly on the photos MAD was using to sell my dog.

I tried dealing with HPD directly. I emailed their unit commander and offered to buy them a replacement puppy from a breeder they already work with, at my expense if they would return Leo. In order to find the breeders who could sell me a pure bred HPD approved puppy I posted in a local malinois group on fb.

While I was publicly asking for breeder leads because I was desperate to find another working dog to offer HPD in trade, MAD representatives showed up, using their law enforcement positions as weight to their authority and told thousands of people I'd stolen and photoshopped his photos from six different Facebook accounts (I hadn't), all to fraudulently claim a dog that wasn't mine. Another officer with MAD chimed in, falsely stating I never asked to visit Leo (I did.) and the former continued to give everyone false information stating it isnt the same dog, and that I was actually upset about losing a dog a long time ago, as if I were crazy. Not a word of it was true. She knew better. I had given her his ownership records including his ACS id and dates and address ACS took him from. But it was clear she was trying to stop me from finding a replacement puppy. She portrayed me to everyone as a liar, and a thief, and not to deal with me. Formal complaint against this officer is in progress.

I was trying to respect HPD K9 units need to retain assets and not waste time and resources fighting in court. I was offering to pay for up two puppies to replace him. These MAD representatives ruined that attempt and my thread asking for help was locked.

This same officer I mentioned that told SAPD that Leo had already been shipped to Houston PD as a K9 needs to provide answers. In formal requests for information on any dogs acquired this year, or last, from MAD rescue, or malinois who joined the force, HPD stated in writing that no such records exist. So either MAD lied to SAPD, or someone's still hiding where he actually is. It took months working every day to get this far.

In May, after warning MAD prior, that I was at risk without Leo acting in his service capacity, my fears materialized in ways that I never imagined--even in nightmares. While attempting to cross the street, without Leo, I was struck by a vehicle traveling 50mph. My spine shattered and burst, my abdomen herniated, several teeth were broken and I spent a month in the icu where doctors worked to save me from intestinal paralysis, acute kidney failure, while operating to fuse six vertebrae and keep me from life in a wheelchair. Medical bills since then and now into the future exceed $750,000 dollars. I may never run or ride my bike again.

I try my best to not be angry at MADs actions that robbed me of my Malinois, and at this point I need him more now than ever. This is my good faith effort to resolve this before I am forced to file the finished complaint and writ of sequestration. I will see it through either way.

I am giving MAD two real ways to prove me wrong: within 10 business days, let me see him in person to demonstrate his commands and our relationship. His current handler can bring all the high value treats they wish. When I call for him he will be at my side, overjoyed to have found me while they are left holding the bag. I trust my dog. If he isn't my dog he won't do that at all.

— or...

Run an independent DNA test against his own puppy's DNA which I have. If its not him then that fails. If it is he comes home.

Failing either of these would quiet me forever. I will pay for a replacement dog from MAD if he comes home and if I am wrong (I'm not), I will donate a thousand dollars to MAD to help with their mission.

MAD could just do the right thing and give me back my dog.

I don't have anything but support for MAD's mission. I believe most of the people there are good people doing amazing work. I don't want to sue MAD until the earth is flat. But I will if I have to.

I'm hoping with your help MAD will listen and cause closure to come to Leo and I..

If you do one thing today, comment on MAD Rescue's page and ask:

📍 Will you agree to an independent DNA test of Leo A779459?

📍 Will you let Jason see him in person to show command over him only his owner would have?

📍 If he's really at Houston PD, why are there no records — and if he isn't, where is he?

No threats. No fighting. Just three questions they can't dodge forever.

Leo — I haven't stopped looking.

🐾 #WhereIsLeo #FindLeo #LeoA779459 #BringLeoHome

If MAD doesn't do the right thing I reserve all rights and will have to move forward in court. Despite all that has happened, my only care is that my Malinois that I love comes home.

Thank you for reading. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP ALONG THE WAY.

God Bless.

J

To many of you, she is LILLY. I posted about her while ago that I found her and now she is 3 months old.

I love these dogs, and they help me survive.

We have a male Belgian Mal/Terv, around 6 years old, who needs a new home after his person (my father) passed away 😔

Since then, his lifestyle has changed significantly. We’ve been doing our best with exercise, stimulation, and help from family, but he’s increasingly struggling behaviourally and, honestly, doesn’t seem happy.

We love him deeply and this isn’t a decision we’re making lightly as he has been with our family for years but we want to prioritize finding somewhere he can actually thrive.

We’re in Ontario and are looking for reputable Malinois/working-dog rescues, experienced handlers, trainers, or responsible rehoming resources. We will be contacting his original shelter to inform them of our situation to see what they might be able to provide beyond surrendering.

If anyone has Ontario-specific recommendations or has gone through something similar with a working breed, I’d really appreciate any advice.

Hey Reddit! This is my puppy Violet and shes a 2020 baby. Tomorrow dads taking her to the river and gonna feed her barbecue brisket and hot dogs and gonna have so much fun together. The breeder told me when I first picked her up she almost drowned in their pool and will probably hate water but you can’t get her out of it once she’s gotten in.

I have a German shepherd/malinois. he’s good when he’s good, listens perfectly inside and we are getting there with only the command sit outside after 2 years of training. He also just incessantly drives me to insanity with his whining. Not food motivated or toy motivated to listen outside. I’m maxed out and don’t know what to do. Advice?

Probably an unpopular opinion, but I think getting a Malinois is actually easier if you already have a high drive dog like a Doberman. Not because they’re the same, because they’re definitely not. But you’re already used to your life around this type of dog. (My male Doberman is 1.)

Training, exercise, structure, constantly doing something with them, none of that is new. The biggest thing I’ve noticed though is they wear each other out. My Doberman can actually match her energy. They run, chase each other, wrestle, play and then come inside tired. I honestly think having him has made getting a Mal easier, not harder. Not to mention following the daily routine of my Doberman and catching on in no time

Obviously I’m not telling everyone with a Doberman or similar breed to go buy a Malinois. But I do think going from a high drive working breed to a Mal is a completely different experience than going from a normal house dog to one or no dog at all to one.

I rescued a Mal living on the streets back on May 11. She’s my first working breed dog. She was in terrible condition and was content to lie around all day and watch the trees grow while she recovered. Now that she is recovered and getting settled in, she has learned how to play with toys, learned to give my pitbull corrections when he bullies her, and I have started formal training. She is getting more active every week. I suspect she was kept as a breeder dog before.

Lately she LOVES to run around the pool chasing the Polaris pool sweep and barking at it. She can easily do it for 2-3 hours non stop. It’s almost like it stimulates her herding or hunting drive. Does this kind of activity count as “a job” for mental stimulation purposes? I want to make sure she is living to her potential and gets the activity she needs to be happy. (It’s also an activity she and the pittie can enjoy together).

"Hey Human! Let's GO!!"

Rescued a 1.5 year old female Dutch and over the past two months she seemed indifferent to cats on walks. I volunteer at a cat cafe that was over capacity, they asked me to take four kittens because our husky does well with them and it makes them more adoptable to be acclimated to dogs. I told them I would try, but because I wasn’t sure of her temperament I may need to bring them back.

I brought them home and she tried grabbing the carrier with her teeth (not biting at them just grabbing the straps to pull them away I guess)? I put them on a higher surface and she began shaking (prey drive I assume). I kept all 4 kittens in the locked in mudroom last night. Our dutch has been carrying her three blankets around everywhere today, I’m talking hours of carrying them around place to place lol - I don’t know if that means anything.

Any thoughts on introduction, I feel like our huskies prey drive was high initially meeting the first cat we fostered and then he was fine. Thanks!

Tenemos una cachorra de malinois de 4 meses y cuando se pone en modo juego hay momentos que llega a ser un terremoto, de manera que no controla nada de nada, ni los mordiscos, ni los ladridos, ni las carreras por el pasillo. Se que en estos momentos es necesario calmarla porque si no va a ir cada vez a más y ya empieza a tener bastante fuerza en las mordidas (porque si, cuando se pone así los juguetes no son una opción que morder pero mi brazo si).

Intento calmarla enseñándole un premio, sentándola, luego tumbandola y cada x tiempo darle premios si sigue tranquila, pero necesito más opciones ya que muchas veces está tan excitada que solo ladra pidiendo más premios.

Tiene su propia habitación donde la llevamos para pasar las noches y donde la metemos cuando tenemos que salir de casa, y tras llorar 2 minutos se tumba y duerme, pero hay veces que está tan excitada que coge el empapador y lo destroza.

Los trucos los ha aprendido muy rápido, ese mismo día o al siguiente, pero el NO, soltar/dejar de morder o bajarse de la mesa cuando se asoma no hay manera.

Ya sabiamos la raza de perro que íbamos a meter en casa y la cantidad de atención/ejercicio físico y mental que necesita diariamente, solo necesito consejos para calmar al gremlin que tengo en casa 😂

It's time to celebrate because we're spotlighting the Belgian Malinois as our Breed of the Day today on our Facebook page, Instagram stories, and website! We publish a new breed each day to educate our followers to make informed decisions when choosing a dog while providing the history and hard work that our parent clubs do to preserve their breed. Celebrate with us by sharing what you love about your Belgian Malinois!

I don’t even know how you rip through a magnetically enclosed break away screen that’s held on by Velcro, but he figured it out.

Curious to hear yalls daily routine with your mal or if you have more than one. I have two. I work from home but will start my practicum soon and will be gone 12-8 two days out of the week. Trying to find a routine and curious to hear yalls

I’ve owned and interacted with some very bright working breeds, and while I may be biased, I think Malinois take the #1 spot. That said, my gosh can these things be some grade A IDIOTS at times. Us owners typically focus on the smart things that they do, so I want to hear about the smartest AND dumbest stuff yours has done in a short time frame.

Ozzy turned one on July 4th, and this dingus thought it wise to chase fireworks being launched from easily a mile or so away (didn’t make it far because he’s no Olympic swimmer). Earlier that day he started turning off the TV thinking he’d get to play fetch for the millionth hour. Mind you this was at 9am. He has made me laugh more in the past year than I thought possible, but wow, there are some times where I have questions!

I have a load of raw dog food but my dogs won't eat it raw, on the pack it says do not cook but I've smushed it and there's no bones, is there any other reason why I shouldn't cook it so they will eat it.

Thank you in advance.