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!
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Stay up to date with current adoptable dogs, available fosters, events and more.
Dogs are talking to us all the time…we just have to know how to listen. 🐾
Many dogs show subtle signs of stress or discomfort long before they escalate to growling or snapping. Yawning, lip licking, turning away, walking away, crouching, tucked tails—these are all ways dogs communicate that they may be overwhelmed, nervous, or uncomfortable.
Learning to recognize these early signals helps us advocate for our dogs, build trust, and prevent situations from escalating. When we respect their communication, we help them feel safer and more understood. 💙
A growl isn’t a dog “being bad.” It’s communication. And ideally, we want to listen long before a dog feels the need to climb to the top of the ladder.
Roscoe is what happens when pure joy gets packed into a 15-pound body. 🐾💕
At just about a year and a half old, this happy little guy is full of love, energy, and enthusiasm for life. Roscoe is a big fan of squeaky toys, has already discovered the joys of retrieving, and would make an amazing sidekick for just about anyone looking for a fun-loving companion. He loves playing with other dogs, comes running when you call his name, and is quickly learning all about the good life indoors. With a little supervision, he’s doing wonderfully in the house and soaking up every new experience like a champ.
If you’re looking for a cheerful, affectionate little shadow to keep life entertaining, Roscoe is ready to steal your heart. ✨
Apply to meet him today! www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
Downtown Raleigh is about to be full of good vibes, local vendors, live music…AND adorable adoptable dogs. 🐾✨
Join Freedom Ride Rescue at the 4th Annual Ma & Pa Festival on Saturday, May 9th from 11am–6pm on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh! This FREE Mother’s & Father’s Day festival will feature 140 local vendors, live music, food trucks, lawn games, a live DJ, lounges, and so much more.
Of course, the best part (in our totally unbiased opinion) is that we’ll be there with some precious pups looking for forever homes. 💕
Come shop local, enjoy the festival fun, snag some puppy cuddles, and maybe even meet your new best friend while you’re at it. We can’t wait to see you there!
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Browse our dogs in foster care and available for adoption!
🚨🚨FOSTER NEEDED!!🚨🚨Sadly, it’s hard to shock us these days with the things people do…but we sure would love to help this guy out. Someone dumped their dog with IVDD at a full shelter. The staff immediately got this poor boy to the ER vet and had him treated. The kind staff at the vet donated this wheelchair to him. He cannot use his rear legs but is not in pain. He can use the bathroom so he really just needs a patient foster to give him a second chance. Wheels is a 2-3 yr old HW neg male maltipoo. Please someone step up for him. This is just absolutely heartbreaking. Please email jennifer@freedom-ride.org if you can help!
PLEASE NOTE: fosters must live within an hour of Raleigh in order to access our vet affiliates and attend adoption events. If you have travel coming up, please hold off on fostering, as we need a long term, consistent foster until this guy is adopted.
Dogs are talking to us all the time…we just have to know how to listen. 🐾
Many dogs show subtle signs of stress or discomfort long before they escalate to growling or snapping. Yawning, lip licking, turning away, walking away, crouching, tucked tails—these are all ways dogs communicate that they may be overwhelmed, nervous, or uncomfortable.
Learning to recognize these early signals helps us advocate for our dogs, build trust, and prevent situations from escalating. When we respect their communication, we help them feel safer and more understood. 💙
A growl isn’t a dog “being bad.” It’s communication. And ideally, we want to listen long before a dog feels the need to climb to the top of the ladder.
Roscoe is what happens when pure joy gets packed into a 15-pound body. 🐾💕
At just about a year and a half old, this happy little guy is full of love, energy, and enthusiasm for life. Roscoe is a big fan of squeaky toys, has already discovered the joys of retrieving, and would make an amazing sidekick for just about anyone looking for a fun-loving companion. He loves playing with other dogs, comes running when you call his name, and is quickly learning all about the good life indoors. With a little supervision, he’s doing wonderfully in the house and soaking up every new experience like a champ.
If you’re looking for a cheerful, affectionate little shadow to keep life entertaining, Roscoe is ready to steal your heart. ✨
Apply to meet him today! www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
Downtown Raleigh is about to be full of good vibes, local vendors, live music…AND adorable adoptable dogs. 🐾✨
Join Freedom Ride Rescue at the 4th Annual Ma & Pa Festival on Saturday, May 9th from 11am–6pm on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh! This FREE Mother’s & Father’s Day festival will feature 140 local vendors, live music, food trucks, lawn games, a live DJ, lounges, and so much more.
Of course, the best part (in our totally unbiased opinion) is that we’ll be there with some precious pups looking for forever homes. 💕
Come shop local, enjoy the festival fun, snag some puppy cuddles, and maybe even meet your new best friend while you’re at it. We can’t wait to see you there!
🚨🚨FOSTERS NEEDED!!!🚨🚨Two sweet 2-year-old boys need foster homes through Freedom Ride Rescue. Their owner is facing a potential eviction because she is living in a rental that does not allow pets, and time is running short to help keep these boys safe. Both are up to date on vaccines, housetrained, and according to their owner, they love other dogs. They still need to be neutered, and FRR will cover all costs associated with their care — we just need loving foster homes to give them a soft place to land while we work toward their next chapter. Please email jennifer@freedom-ride.org if you can help!
Please note that all fosters must live within an hour of Raleigh in order to access our vet affiliates and attend adoption events. As a reminder, if you have upcoming travel plans, please wait until you are back in town before volunteering to foster so we can provide them with the stability they need.
A little rain couldn’t stop the fun at the Ham & Yam Festival last weekend! ☔🐾💕
Huge thanks to everyone who came out to brave the weather, say hello, snuggle some pups, and support Freedom Ride Rescue in Smithfield. The skies may have been gray, but our spirits definitely weren’t.
We had such a wonderful time meeting so many amazing people, sharing smiles, and showing off some very adorable adoptable doggos. Thanks for making a rainy day feel warm and full of love.
This handsome boy is impossible to miss with his adorable speckled nose and the little white tip on his tail. He loves romping around with his foster sister, soaking up playtime, and then promptly crashing for snuggles after all that hard work. We think he’d absolutely thrive in a home with another playful dog buddy.
Redwood is doing well with puppy basics, like potty training and crate training. He’s super food motivated, eager to learn, and figuring out all the puppy manners one treat at a time. Remember, he`s still a puppy so he`s looking for a home that will continue consistency in puppy training and build on his skills.
If you’re looking for a goofy sidekick who will keep you laughing, playing, and cuddling nonstop…Redwood might just be your perfect match. 🐾✨
Apply to meet this special pup: www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
Raisin has it all: looks, personality, smarts...and the SMOOSH factor!
This clever girl is already learning “sit,” “come,” and leash walking like a total pro. Give her a treat and a few repetitions, and she’s ready to show off her newest skill. Raisin is incredibly food motivated, eager to please, and absolutely loves learning new things.
When she’s not busy being a tiny scholar, she’s playing with the adult dog in her foster home or romping around with her brother, Squish. She’s also doing wonderfully with crate training and is learning all the puppy basics like potty training and appropriate chewing habits.
Raisin is looking for a family who will continue helping her learn, grow, and shine. With a little consistency, enrichment, and love, this smart cookie is going to grow into one amazing dog
Apply to meet her here: www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
🐶☀️ FRR Alum Peanut (FKA Randall) is a sun-loving professional napper who can usually be found stretched out in the warmest spot he can find, soaking up the rays. But don’t let his relaxed vibe fool you—once he wakes up, it’s game on! His absolute favorite pastime? Playing with his beloved giraffe 🦒, who faithfully joins him not only for playtime but also tucks in with him every single night. (A big thank you to his foster mom for sending Mr. Giraffe along—true best friend status! 💛)
🏡Peanut takes his role as head of security very seriously. He loves to survey his domain, always on high alert for anything suspicious. Whether he’s supervising card games (from the comfort of his chair… until he dozes off 😴) or standing guard at the window, Peanut makes sure everything is in order. He may need a little boost via his step ladder to get the best view, but once he’s up there, you can rest easy—Peanut is on duty!
🏖️🌊 He experienced his first sunny beach day and loved the warmth and adventure… though those waves? A little too spooky for his taste! But back on land, Peanut has discovered a true menace—squirrels 🐿️. He proudly sounds the bark alarm anytime one dares to climb a tree, because obviously, that behavior is completely unacceptable.
🐾💥 When it’s time to play, Peanut is all in! He loves wrestling and goofing around with his best buddy Curry, and he has a serious obsession with squeaky toys. In fact, the squeaking happens so often, you’d think the toy had batteries—like the Energizer Bunny, it just keeps going and going! 🔋😂
💕 From sun naps to security patrols, Peanut brings the perfect mix of sweetness, silliness, and loyalty to his forever home!
👀 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!
🚨🚨PUPPY FOSTER NEEDED!!🚨🚨 11-week old Bronco is in need of a foster! He is dog friendly, very sweet and such a handsome boy. FRR covers all costs associated with his care we just need YOU to provide the loving foster home. Email jennifer@freedom-ride.org today if you can help!Please note, all fosters must live within an hour of Raleigh!
Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”
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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.