N.C. Non-Profit Animal Rescue
Give a Freedom RideIn 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.
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!
Follow us on Facebook
Stay up to date with current adoptable dogs, available fosters, events and more.
For everyone following the heartbreaking escape of Iko from a new foster home 7-weeks ago, we got him on camera yesterday! This is the first time he's been to one of our six food stations. We are hoping he'll keep returning to a known food source (ours!) so we can catch him. If you are in the Patterson/98 area of Durham and see him - do not chase but text/call us!! 919-673-6338.
He is a 1-year-old chi/rat terrier mix who weighs around 14 pounds. We are so amazed that this little guy appears healthy and unharmed. (We have worked with a trapper, two drone operator and an army of FRR volunteers putting out signs and keeping the food stations full in hopes yesterday would FINALLY happen!) Next step we hope: getting him safely in a trap!
💙 What Do Adoption Fees Really Cover? 💙
We've heard it time and time again: "If you're so desperate to find them homes, why do you charge so much?"..."If I wanted to pay a lot for a dog, I'd go to a breeder"; "I can get a dog for cheaper on Craigslist"; "Rescues get dogs for free so the fees are just a scam for them to make money".
Let us be very honest: NONE OF THOSE THINGS IS TRUE.
We’re often asked why adoption fees exist—so let’s break it down.
Adoption fees help cover just a portion of the care each dog receives while in rescue, including:
🐾 Spay/neuter surgery
🐾 Vaccinations & preventatives
🐾 Microchip & registration
🐾 Heartworm testing & treatment (if needed)
🐾 Basic veterinary care
🐾 Food, supplies, and foster support
The truth? Adoption fees rarely come close to covering the full cost of caring for a dog—especially puppies, seniors, or dogs with medical needs. Many of our pups require ongoing treatment, specialized care, training support, or weeks (sometimes months) of foster care before they’re ready for adoption.
Your adoption fee isn’t just bringing home a new best friend—it’s helping the next dog get their second chance. Every adoption helps us keep our mission going and save more lives. Since the adoption fees don't even help us break even, we rely on the generosity of our community to help us keep doing what we do.
Thank you for supporting rescue, fostering, adopting, donating, and believing that every dog is worth it.
You can see a breakdown of our current adoption fees on our website, and while you're there, check out all the awesome dogs currently hoping to join their forever families!
www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
See us on Instagram
Browse our dogs in foster care and available for adoption!
🚨🚨FOSTER NEEDED!!!🚨🚨 Our heart is breaking for this sweet girl. Halo/Swiss Miss is a 7 yr old 74 lb Aussie girl in need of rescue. Her owner passed away and her world has been turned upside down 🥺. She is HW neg and in this county that means she had to have lived indoors so good chance she is also housetrained. We would love to get this girl out of there and into a home so her heart can heal after losing her person. She is dog friendly and just a love bug! Please email jennifer@freedom-ride.org if you can help.
For everyone following the heartbreaking escape of Iko from a new foster home 7-weeks ago, we got him on camera yesterday! This is the first time he`s been to one of our six food stations. We are hoping he`ll keep returning to a known food source (ours!) so we can catch him. If you are in the Patterson/98 area of Durham and see him - do not chase but text/call us!! 919-673-6338.
He is a 1-year-old chi/rat terrier mix who weighs around 14 pounds. We are so amazed that this little guy appears healthy and unharmed. (We have worked with a trapper, two drone operator and an army of FRR volunteers putting out signs and keeping the food stations full in hopes yesterday would FINALLY happen!) Next step we hope: getting him safely in a trap!
💙 What Do Adoption Fees Really Cover? 💙
We`ve heard it time and time again: "If you`re so desperate to find them homes, why do you charge so much?"..."If I wanted to pay a lot for a dog, I`d go to a breeder"; "I can get a dog for cheaper on Craigslist"; "Rescues get dogs for free so the fees are just a scam for them to make money".
Let us be very honest: NONE OF THOSE THINGS IS TRUE.
We’re often asked why adoption fees exist—so let’s break it down.
Adoption fees help cover just a portion of the care each dog receives while in rescue, including:
🐾 Spay/neuter surgery
🐾 Vaccinations & preventatives
🐾 Microchip & registration
🐾 Heartworm testing & treatment (if needed)
🐾 Basic veterinary care
🐾 Food, supplies, and foster support
The truth? Adoption fees rarely come close to covering the full cost of caring for a dog—especially puppies, seniors, or dogs with medical needs. Many of our pups require ongoing treatment, specialized care, training support, or weeks (sometimes months) of foster care before they’re ready for adoption.
Your adoption fee isn’t just bringing home a new best friend—it’s helping the next dog get their second chance. Every adoption helps us keep our mission going and save more lives. Since the adoption fees don`t even help us break even, we rely on the generosity of our community to help us keep doing what we do.
Thank you for supporting rescue, fostering, adopting, donating, and believing that every dog is worth it.
You can see a breakdown of our current adoption fees on our website, and while you`re there, check out all the awesome dogs currently hoping to join their forever families!
www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
Just look at that perfect speckled little nose! How could you not want to smooch him 24-7! Read more about Petrie and apply to adopt him: www.freedom-ride.org
POP UP ADOPTION EVENT THIS EVE!! 5 - 7 pm at Mordecai Beverage Co (2425 Crabtree, Raleigh)!!
SNOW and ICE again?? Just out of deference to safety, we are postponing tomorrow`s Crank Arm event - new date TBA! We will post what dogs and puppies are coming to the YAPPY HOUR in comments and this post as they RSVP!!
But so far: Nehi, Frazier, Elf, Blitz, Journey, Fumble and Snickers are coming for sure!!
Niva is a 3-year-old, petite princess who is ready to be spoiled by her perfect family. Read more about her and apply to adopt this sweet lady into your family.
www.freedom-ride.org
This little love is ready for her perfect match to find her--hopefully before Valentine`s Day! Remi adores everyone she meets and does well with the resident big dogs. Housebreaking is going well, she’s learning manners and leash walking quickly, and eats and sleeps like a champ!!
Apply to adopt Remi: www.freedom-ride.org
Pupdate: FOSTER FOUND! Woo hoo!
This is all we’re going to get of this guy. Shelter is overwhelmed and not enough staff so a picture of a phone is it. 6 mos old male JRT mix puppy. He is very friendly and energetic. Little guy only weighs 8 lbs. If you can foster, please email jennifer@freedom-ride.org today!
Elf is ready to be your adorable and cheery puppy shadow!
Apply to adopt her!
www.freedom-ride.org
Have you ever seen more perfect Dorito Ears on a puppy??? Frazier would like to show you that he is the total puppy package.
Read more about him and submit an application to adopt him:
www.freedom-ride.org
Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”
~
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.
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.