Dog in LA Shelter for 3 Years Finally Adopted, a Real ‘Cinderella’ Story

A 6-year-old dog named Cinderella was adopted on Thursday after spending more than three years in a Los Angeles shelter.

Cinderella, a pit bull mix, spent 1,139 days at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), according to a press release from spcaLA.

In 2020, she was transferred from Long Beach Animal Care Services to spcaLA, where she received "hundreds of hours" of behavior training. Shelter employees also provided enrichment to keep Cinderella "engaged and happy."

Cinderella received tibial plateau leveling osteotomy surgery for a cranial cruciate tear in 2022. The shelter said the $3,000 surgery was made possible by spcaLA supporters.

“Staff did an excellent job keeping Cinderella healthy and joyful while she was at spcaLA,” Madeline Bernstein, spcaLA president, said in a statement. “I also must acknowledge our donors. Without their support, this happy ending would not be possible!"

Staff at spcaLA are unsure why it took so long to find a home for Cinderella, but they think her age and breed might have played a role.

The shelter tried various methods to find a home for Cinderella, including social media and local TV appearances.

She finally got her happy ending when a family came to the shelter and asked which animal had been there the longest.

"After a couple of meetings, and a week to prepare, Cinderella’s wish came true," spcaLA said.

Cinderella joined a family of three with four "feline siblings."