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.
In honor of Adopt a Senior Pet Month, we’re shining the spotlight on our wise, wonderful, and oh-so-handsome guy Bartoc. With his gentle spirit and loyal heart, Bartoc is the kind of dog who makes life sweeter just by being in it.
Senior dogs like Bartoc bring a calm, comforting presence — they’ve done the growing, learned the lessons, and now they’re ready to simply love and be loved. He’s looking for a warm home, a soft spot to nap, and a person who appreciates the quiet magic seniors bring.
If you’ve been thinking about opening your heart to an older pup… Bartoc is ready and waiting. 💛
👉 Check out his bio on our website and consider giving this incredible senior his well-deserved forever home.
www.freedom-ride.org
🎄🐾 A BUSY DOUBLE HEADER WEEKEND — WE’VE OFFICIALLY LOST OUR HEADS! 🐾🎄
Two events. Same day. Same rescue. Same level of holiday chaos and cuteness.
No matter where you are in the Triangle, we won’t be far away — because on Saturday, we’re popping up in two places at once!
🎁 DOWNTOWN RALEIGH
🕚 11 AM – 6 PM
📍 MAKRS Society Holiday Market
Come stroll the holiday market, shop local makers, and meet some of our adorable adoptables while you soak up the festive vibes.
🎅 CARY
📍 Rosecomb Beer Garden
We’ll be teaming up with Canine Community Outreach of NC for a day of fun, furry friends, and… SANTA PHOTOS!
Bring your pup for a photo with Santa — proceeds support spay/neuter initiatives in NC, a cause near and dear to all of us who care about reducing pet overpopulation.
Plus, we’ll have adoptable dogs ready to charm their way into your heart. 💛
🎉 It’s a big weekend with big chances for holiday fun — whether you choose Raleigh or Cary, you’re guaranteed great dogs, great people, and great holiday spirit.
And if all that wasn’t enough...
We’ll have some of our volunteers out on SUNDAY at Unleashed in Cary. Come say hi and drop off some food, puppy pads, toys, or other doggy items to help our Holiday Supply Drive
Come join us and kick off December with a whole lot of cheer! 🎅🐶✨
See us on Instagram
Browse our dogs in foster care and available for adoption!
In honor of Adopt a Senior Pet Month, we’re shining the spotlight on our wise, wonderful, and oh-so-handsome guy Bartoc. With his gentle spirit and loyal heart, Bartoc is the kind of dog who makes life sweeter just by being in it.
Senior dogs like Bartoc bring a calm, comforting presence — they’ve done the growing, learned the lessons, and now they’re ready to simply love and be loved. He’s looking for a warm home, a soft spot to nap, and a person who appreciates the quiet magic seniors bring.
If you’ve been thinking about opening your heart to an older pup… Bartoc is ready and waiting. 💛
👉 Check out his bio on our website and consider giving this incredible senior his well-deserved forever home.
www.freedom-ride.org
🎄🐾 A BUSY DOUBLE HEADER WEEKEND — WE’VE OFFICIALLY LOST OUR HEADS! 🐾🎄
Two events. Same day. Same rescue. Same level of holiday chaos and cuteness.
No matter where you are in the Triangle, we won’t be far away — because on Saturday, we’re popping up in two places at once!
🎁 DOWNTOWN RALEIGH
🕚 11 AM – 6 PM
📍 MAKRS Society Holiday Market
Come stroll the holiday market, shop local makers, and meet some of our adorable adoptables while you soak up the festive vibes.
🎅 CARY
📍 Rosecomb Beer Garden
We’ll be teaming up with Canine Community Outreach of NC for a day of fun, furry friends, and… SANTA PHOTOS!
Bring your pup for a photo with Santa — proceeds support spay/neuter initiatives in NC, a cause near and dear to all of us who care about reducing pet overpopulation.
Plus, we’ll have adoptable dogs ready to charm their way into your heart. 💛
🎉 It’s a big weekend with big chances for holiday fun — whether you choose Raleigh or Cary, you’re guaranteed great dogs, great people, and great holiday spirit.
And if all that wasn’t enough...
We’ll have some of our volunteers out on SUNDAY at Unleashed in Cary. Come say hi and drop off some food, puppy pads, toys, or other doggy items to help our Holiday Supply Drive
Come join us and kick off December with a whole lot of cheer! 🎅🐶✨
Part entertainment, part thank you and part memorial - our Turkey Day 5K signs guide our runners/walkers around the one mile and 5K course! Signs are available for local pick up - email turkeyday@freedom-ride.org for yours. (Signs not picked up will be used in future races .... mark your calendar for Thanksgiving 2026: the 10th Annual Turkey Day 5K!)
#pawitforward #turkeyday5K #freedomriderescue
🚨🚨MATERNITY FOSTER NEEDED!🚨🚨
Sweet Figgy Pudding has found herself in a rural shelter after her owner passed away. The staff believes she is pregnant and a shelter is no place for a momma and her babies. She is 3 years old 35 lbs and sadly she did test positive for heartworms. We would treat her after she’s done caring for her pups. She tested well with another dog and has been shy with staff but is starting to seek affection. A maternity foster would be a minimum of 8 weeks once the pups are born. Mom does most of the work for the first several weeks. The rescue will provide all supplies needed and we have experienced maternity fosters that can help answer all your questions and give advice. If you have a quiet spot in your home and would like to help Figgy please email Jennifer@freedom-ride.org today Thank you!!!
🥤💚 Meet Nehi — the Sweetest Little Sip of Joy! 💚🥤
Just like the classic soda, Nehi is bubbly, refreshing, and guaranteed to brighten your day. This cutie is packed with personality and sweetness, the perfect mix of playful energy and heart-melting charm.
Nehi loves being with her people, exploring her world, and showing off her adorable expressions. Whether she’s bouncing around during playtime or settling in for snuggles, she’s the kind of pup who turns ordinary moments into something special.
If you’ve been craving a little more joy in your life…
✨ Pop open a Nehi and meet your new best friend! ✨
Apply today to bring home this sweet, fizzy girl! 🐾💚
www.freedom-ride.org
We often joke that math is hard in rescue: have you ever noticed that our 6-year-old network had a 9th annual Turkey Day 5K last week? This incredible day was started by the TeddyRox Foundation`s founders Nancy Libbey-Cawthon and Kathleen O`Brien Serow ... who entrusted the event to Freedom Ride Rescue during Covid.
Our team "ran" with their incredible vision, building on an incredible detailed and successful playbook they gifted us. We continue to be humbled by their generosity at trusting their legacy to us ... and LOVE that the Original Turkey Day shirts keep coming around showing the TeddyRox team are still part of the festivities!
#grateful #turkeyday5K #teddyroxfoundation #freedomriderescue #pawitforward
🐺💙 FRR Alum Kodiak is the newest (and perfectly missing!) piece of his family’s puzzle. From the moment he arrived, he made himself right at home… specifically by claiming the coveted recliner as his throne 👑🛋️. It truly felt like he had been part of the family for years on his very first night.
💉😎 At the vet, Kodiak is a total champ. He’s completely unfazed by vaccines and always charming the staff… even if he may or may not happy-pee on them from time to time. 🙈😂
✨🐕🦺❄️When his DNA results came back, the family was shocked to discover he’s mostly Siberian Husky and German Shepherd, with a little Chow sprinkled in for extra fluff.
🎉🐶 Kodiak recently turned ONE and celebrated in style with his very own pupcake!
🚗💨 He LOVES car rides, treats 🍖, and doggy daycare. 🐕🧡 Water, though? That’s still an ongoing discussion. Baths especially… the jury is out 🛁😬.
🤪🧒🐶He’s goofy, he’s dramatic, and he’s definitely in his teenage phase.
🤍🐾 Kodiak’s family is forever grateful to Freedom Ride Rescue for bringing this big, silly sweetheart into their lives.
👀 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!
🌟💗 Someone Explain… HOW Is Rosalina Still Available?! 💗🌟
Seriously — we’re baffled. Confused. Completely perplexed.
Because Rosalina is everything anyone could ever want in a dog: gorgeous, loving, gentle, snuggly, well-mannered, and absolutely overflowing with sweetness.
Just one perfect pup still searching for the perfect match.
If you’ve been hoping for a sign — THIS IS IT.
Rosalina is ready to be someone’s whole world, and we can’t believe she hasn’t been scooped up already.
💗 Come meet this incredible girl and see for yourself why we’re all obsessed.
Your new best friend might just be Rosalina. 🐾✨
www.freedom-ride.org
🌨️✨ EVENT 1: Snow Much Love at Makrs Downtown Raleigh
📍 Downtown Raleigh
🕚 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Ready to fall in love this winter?
Join us at the Makrs event and meet dozens of incredible dogs—playful pups, cuddly companions, and gentle seniors—all dreaming of a forever home and a warm lap to snuggle on. 💖🐶
Come shop local, say hi, and maybe meet your new best friend!
🎄🐶 EVENT 2: Pho-Ho-Ho-tos with Santa
📍 Rosecomb Beer Garden, Parkside Town Commons
1143 Parkside Main St., Cary, NC 27519
🕝 2:30–5:30 PM
We’re thrilled to be hosted by Canine Community Outreach of NC for one of our favorite annual traditions—holiday dog photos with (and without!) Santa! 🎅📸
Your minimum donation of $25 supports CCO’s spay/neuter campaign for dogs in need.
🐾 First 20 paid registrants receive a festive treat bag!
🐾 All participants get digital photos by Ashley of Assorted Poppies Photo!
👉 Multiple dogs?
$25 for the first pup + $10 for each additional.
🕒 Schedule:
• 2:30–3:30 PM: Photos without Santa
• 3:30–5:30 PM: Photos with Santa
✨ Plus at Rosecomb:
Raffle with awesome prizes!
Meet adoptable Freedom Ride pups!
Drinks from Rosecomb Beer Garden
Tons of food options nearby
More fun surprises coming soon!
Come spread the love, support rescue dogs, and enjoy a magical start to the season with us! ❄️💖🐾
A huge congrats to all of the runners, dog and walkers who completed the 5K this year ... but our SUPERSTAR runners are the 46 runners who received awards at the 9th annual Turkey Day 5K! We are humbled by the speed of Brian Gonda and Riley Wilcox (with times of 16:22:77 and 16:54:20 respectively) and Delaney Bundy and Shelly Rivera (19:22:94 and 20:36:81). We are grateful to Fleet Feet (16 and older winners) and Goodberry`s Frozen Custard for the gift cards donated for winners!
See all results at: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/114262#resultSetId-609150;perpage:100
We had to alter the 5K route this year due to some park construction and the FRR core came through to make it happen! Thank you, Jen Craver @jen_craver5, Christie Walker @cnwalker83, Allie Jacobs, Larry Hughes, Shawn Ryan and Michelle Connor for making sure we were long enough (and safe!)
Route feedback has been positive - let us know what you thought (good and bad please: turkeyday@freedom-ride.org). Then mark your calendars for the 10th annual on Thanksgiving morning 2026!
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.