Cinderella is Waiting for a Family Who Will Let Her Be a Princess

Cinder — short for Cinderella — is a storybook dog, or at least she could be if she finds her happily ever after. 

The American Staffordshire Terrier mix is a sweet girl who hasn't been treated well. Manatee County Animal Services was called out to come get her after she was found in an abandonded home. She had burns on her head and body and was covered with flea and bug bites.

She was a bedraggled mess.

She was taken to the county's Palmetto facility where she was treated for her wounds. She quickly became a favorite with volunteers for her sweet disposition. She loves people and gets along well with the other dogs and even seems to like cats. She sits still for a bath and seems to enjoy the attention that accompanies a bath.

She's a little timid when she first meets new people, but as soon as she's sure they are friendly she is ready to socialize.On a recent trip to visit Bradenton's Central Fire Department she had a group of firefighters wrapped around her paw.

Cinderella is a warm and loving dog who is healing nicely from her wounds and will make a great pet for any family who can look past her scars. She desperately needs a home because animal services is running out of space for dogs and cats. The height of summer, means there are fewer families at home and adoptions tend to slow down. Because Cinder has scars, she's not considered to be as adoptable as other dogs in the shelter so she is at greater risk of being euthanized.

You can visit Cinder at the county's downtown adoption center today or next week. The downtown adoption center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

July is a great month to adopt. Manatee County Animal Services is showing its patriotism by offering “Red, White and Blue” specials for the month of July. Adoption fees for both dogs and cats are $35,  a huge savings to the public with $55 off dogs and $35 off cats. In addition to regular specials Animal Services is offering a few dogs free to good homes. Check out Cricket or Congo. Adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations, health check, microchip and current rabies certificate/tag. This adoption special is another step in the County’s plan to become a no-kill community.  

For more information, visit www.mymanatee.org/pets or call 941-742-5824. The animal services webpage features updated photos and descriptions of the pets available for adoption. Pet owners can also use the site to locate missing pets.

Pets are also available for adoption locally at:

•  at , 4425 14th St. W.
• , 2515 Tamiami Trail
• , 5718 21st Ave. W.
• Gulf Shore Animal League at , 6908 Manatee Ave W.
• Nates Place Dog and Cat Adoption Center, 8435 Cooper Creek Blvd.
• Also look up local rescue groups, such as , through Petfinder.com. Other rescue groups with great dogs include and .