N.C. Non-Profit Animal Rescue

Give a Freedom Ride

In the rescue world, a “Freedom Ride” is that magical car ride out of an animal shelter for a dog. At first they are nervous, but there is a moment when they realize they are safe …. tongue out, tail wagging, a new chapter for them.

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About Us

About Our N.C. Rescue

We are proud to be the crazy dog lovers who skip out on work to transport dogs from all over the state to their excited fosters’ homes; who stay up late searching shelter pages for that next “Freedom Ride” potential; who spend countless hours making rescue a reality!

Freedom Ride Rescue brings together individuals who share a love for dogs and a dream to see a no-kill state. Our foster-based network is in the Raleigh/Clayton, NC, area. We bring in dogs of all ages, sizes and breed mixes. We help to rehabilitate these animals – providing security, love, medical, and behavioral training as needed – until they can be adopted to their “fur-ever” homes.

We are foster based: we have no facility and every one of our adoptable (and not quite ready to be adopted) animals are in homes where families are teaching trust, love, basic manners …. preparing your future dog ready to be the best addition to your family that he can be!

As fosters, we are willing to have our heart break after we love, rehabilitate and nurse an unwanted, unloved animal until they prance away with their fur-ever person – often never looking back – as they start their most life’s wonderful chapter: the one as a cherished pet.

So join our road to making freedom rides happen! We are a wonderful, tight-knit family needing volunteers, fosters, donors – basically caring people willing to help in any way they can!

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Stay up to date with current adoptable dogs, available fosters, events and more.

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FRR Alum Dora (FKA Castalia, adopted in 2019) has truly blossomed into the perfect mix of playful and snuggly. When she isn’t busy keeping her big brother on his toes or soaking up every second of outdoor adventure, she can be found curled up as close as possible—preferably taking over the entire bed like the queen she is. Equal parts spunky and sweet, Dora brings a fun-loving energy to every moment and has fully embraced her role as both troublemaker and cuddle expert.

Enter Flynn Rider, who became a foster WIN in March, and it didn’t take long for him to make himself right at home. His name couldn’t be more fitting—this clever boy is a quiet little thief, sneaking off with shoes, tissue boxes, toys, and anything else he can carry without making a sound! Despite his mischievous tendencies, Flynn is pure joy wrapped in fur, and his family absolutely adores him.

From the moment Flynn joined the family, he and Dora became instant best friends. Their bond is undeniable—they spend their days running, wrestling, and playing so nonstop that it’s nearly impossible to catch them sitting still (let alone get a non-blurry photo!). Flynn hasn’t just matched Dora’s energy—he’s elevated the entire household. He’s even managed to get their older dog, Banjo, up and playing again, joining in on the fun like a puppy at heart.

Flynn has already begun his journey of socialization, and the family hopes to see him trained as a therapy dog in the future—a path that feels so fitting for such a loving and intuitive pup.

Together, Dora and Flynn are the definition of a perfect match—best friends, partners in mischief, and the heart of their family. Their story is a beautiful reminder of the magic that happens when rescue dogs find exactly where they belong.

We absolutely love hearing about how our alumni are doing! Want to see your alum featured? Share their photos and stories on our alumni page—you could be our next spotlight!
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Meet Redwood 🌲🐾

The perfect mix of playful, snuggly, and downright adorable 💛 With his speckled nose and that little white-tipped tail, this guy is as unique as he is lovable.

Redwood loves to play hard and then cozy up for cuddles—especially with his foster sister! He’d likely thrive in a home with another dog to help him keep learning and growing.

He’s already making great progress with potty training, sleeping well in his crate, and picking up basic commands (thank you, food motivation 🙌). Like any puppy, he’s still learning the ropes, so he’ll need a family ready to invest time, patience, and love as he grows into the best boy he’s meant to be.

If you’re looking for a fun-loving pup who’s always down for playtime and snuggle time, Redwood might just be your perfect match 🌿🐶✨

Apply here: www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
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🌸🐾 DOUBLE EVENT WEEKEND WITH FREEDOM RIDE RESCUE! 🐾🌸

We’re excited for a fun-filled weekend with TWO chances to meet our adoptable dogs and support Freedom Ride Rescue!

First up on Saturday, April 25, join us at TapYard Raleigh from 2–5 PM for Blooms and Brews! Freedom Ride Rescue is honored to be Tap Yard’s charity partner for their Spring Market. Come meet our adoptable pups, enjoy a drink, and shop for local gifts and unique treats while supporting rescue dogs in need. 🍻🌷🐶

Then on Sunday, April 26, we’ll be at Spring Fling hosted by Unleashed The Dog & Cat Store from 12–6 PM at Koka Booth Amphitheatre! This incredible community fundraiser celebrates life, love, and our four-legged friends. Enjoy live music, delicious food trucks, and even a doggy Easter egg hunt! 🌷🎶🍴🥚🐕

Most importantly, come meet our adorable adoptable Freedom Ride Rescue dogs. This could be the moment you meet your new best friend. We can’t wait to see you there! 🐾💛
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Browse our dogs in foster care and available for adoption!

FRR Alum Dora (FKA Castalia, adopted in 2019) has truly blossomed into the perfect mix of playful and snuggly. When she isn’t busy keeping her big brother on his toes or soaking up every second of outdoor adventure, she can be found curled up as close as possible—preferably taking over the entire bed like the queen she is. Equal parts spunky and sweet, Dora brings a fun-loving energy to every moment and has fully embraced her role as both troublemaker and cuddle expert.

Enter Flynn Rider, who became a foster WIN in March, and it didn’t take long for him to make himself right at home. His name couldn’t be more fitting—this clever boy is a quiet little thief, sneaking off with shoes, tissue boxes, toys, and anything else he can carry without making a sound! Despite his mischievous tendencies, Flynn is pure joy wrapped in fur, and his family absolutely adores him. 

From the moment Flynn joined the family, he and Dora became instant best friends. Their bond is undeniable—they spend their days running, wrestling, and playing so nonstop that it’s nearly impossible to catch them sitting still (let alone get a non-blurry photo!). Flynn hasn’t just matched Dora’s energy—he’s elevated the entire household. He’s even managed to get their older dog, Banjo, up and playing again, joining in on the fun like a puppy at heart. 

Flynn has already begun his journey of socialization, and the family hopes to see him trained as a therapy dog in the future—a path that feels so fitting for such a loving and intuitive pup.

Together, Dora and Flynn are the definition of a perfect match—best friends, partners in mischief, and the heart of their family. Their story is a beautiful reminder of the magic that happens when rescue dogs find exactly where they belong. 

We absolutely love hearing about how our alumni are doing! Want to see your alum featured? Share their photos and stories on our alumni page—you could be our next spotlight!
Meet Redwood 🌲🐾

The perfect mix of playful, snuggly, and downright adorable 💛 With his speckled nose and that little white-tipped tail, this guy is as unique as he is lovable.

Redwood loves to play hard and then cozy up for cuddles—especially with his foster sister! He’d likely thrive in a home with another dog to help him keep learning and growing.

He’s already making great progress with potty training, sleeping well in his crate, and picking up basic commands (thank you, food motivation 🙌). Like any puppy, he’s still learning the ropes, so he’ll need a family ready to invest time, patience, and love as he grows into the best boy he’s meant to be.

If you’re looking for a fun-loving pup who’s always down for playtime and snuggle time, Redwood might just be your perfect match 🌿🐶✨

Apply here: www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
What a day!! 🐾💛

Another amazing Annual Oakwood Yard Sale is officially in the books—and WOW, what a success!

Huge thank you to all of our incredible volunteers who put in the time and effort to make this event happen, and to everyone who came out to shop and support our mission. We couldn’t do it without you!

A very special shoutout to Jim and Susan Bray for generously letting us take over their yard once again. This event simply wouldn’t be possible without their continued support, and we are so grateful for their donation of both space and time.

Thanks to this amazing community, we raised a whopping $4,061 🎉🐶 That’s a huge boost for our rescue and will go a long way in helping us care for the dogs still waiting for their forever homes.

We are so thankful for each and every one of you who made this day such a success 💕
🚨🚨FOSTER NEEDED!🚨🚨We can’t get over this precious girl! She is approximately 1 year old and only 24 lbs. She is dog friendly and would do well with another buddy in the home! If you can foster this cute girl, please email jennifer@freedom-ride.org today!
Ready for takeoff ✈️🐾

Meet Orville—named after Orville Wright and destined to soar right into your heart 💛 This happy, playful pup is just paw-some and always ready for his next adventure (or cuddle session!).

Orville may have had a tough start, but thanks to his amazing fosters, he’s learning the ropes and gaining confidence every day. He’d do best in a home with another dog to help show him the way—and once he’s comfortable, his fun-loving personality really takes flight ✨

He’s already sleeping through the night like a champ, but fair warning… during the day, this little guy has some strong opinions about being in his pen 😂

If you’re looking for a sweet, dog-friendly, snuggly blonde boy to grow with, Orville might just be your perfect co-pilot 🐶💕

Apply here: www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption

Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”

~ Karen Davison

Services

What We Do

Rescue Dogs

We are proud to be the crazy dog lovers who skip out on work to transport dogs from all over the state to their excited fosters’ homes … who stay up late searching shelter pages for that next “Freedom Ride” potential …. who volunteer countless hours making rescue a reality!

Provide Medical Care

Freedom Ride Rescue provides all supplies (crates, food, bowls) and gets the animal in for a vet visit (for a spay, neuter and/or vaccines); we’ll also provide flea and heartworm preventatives. Anything and everything to make a happy and healthy pet!

Find A Home

We love, rehabilitate and nurse an unwanted, unloved animal until they prance away with their fur-ever person as they start their most life’s wonderful chapter: the one as a cherished pet.

Upcoming Events

 Don't miss our fun-filled line up of events!

help save a life

Donations cover vet expenses, shelter fees, continuing long-term care, and any other costs that arise treating dogs in great need. We prepare our dogs for success with a microchip, spay/neuter and make sure they are up to date on vaccines and preventatives. We are a 501(c)(3) organization making your financial contributions tax deductible.

foster

Join our tight-knit rescue family! We need fosters until dogs are adopted, for temporary needs, for medical cases and/or for end of life hospice care. Supplies and vet care is provided. You help your dog blossom and find his fur-ever home and in the process learn what a rewarding experience fostering really is!

Adopt

Adopting a rescue animal helps to save the life of an animal in need, through no fault of their own! And you get a new best friend out of the deal. Seriously, what could be better than that? We take in all mixes of breeds and all ages! You can meet adoptable dogs at our weekly adoption events or put in an application for specific dogs.

Lost a Pet?

Freedom Ride Rescue partners with Petco Love Lost to make reuniting lost pets easier using image recognition technology to search a national lost and found database. 

Report Lost Pet