3 Cheers: Giving Special Needs Animals A Chance
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MARLTON, N.J (CBS) – Kim Mangione takes in hundreds of the neediest homeless animals.
Princess the dog, a 12-year-old sweetheart, "was surrendered after she'd been hit by a car. She had her eye removed and the next day went right into foster and she's doing great."
Princess now has a second chance thanks to New Life Animal Rescue, the South Jersey foster-based nonprofit Mangione founded.
"We're all-breed as far as dogs. We rescue cats as well. We have even rescued a couple of horses," Mangione said.
Since 2012, Mangione and a network of foster families have rescued abandoned animals, primarily those with special needs.
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"I just really saw a need in our area," Mangione said. "I have a little girl who has severe special needs, and I really have a heart for special needs animals as well. They are just like children."
Mangione certainly treats them like her own, says foster parent Laurie Webster.
"She's got a big heart," Webster said. "She wants to save them all, all the hard cases, people that wouldn't give these animals a chance because it's so expensive."
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Mangione is also a freelance artist. Most of the pieces in the house were painted by her.
Mangione hopes that the rescue can one day have a building and land of its own.
"We would love to have a self-sustaining facility where we can offer day care and boarding but also be able to save more animals out of the shelters," Mangione said.
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But until then, Mangione has set out to help as many as she can. This 3 Cheers is for Mangione and New Life Animal Rescue.
Webster said, "It's giving these puppies that no one else would give a chance to."
For more information on New Life Animal Rescue, check out their website or Facebook page.