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.
2026 has been such a roller coaster and the last few days took us down hard ... We said a sudden good-bye to sweet Tori who joined Freedom Ride Rescue in February. She wasn't doing well suddenly and presented with a very high temp at the vet who recommended we let this amazing 11-year-old go due to a temp of 106 degrees (temps over 106 are when a dog's organs begin to shut down).
Yesterday, we brought in a very sick litter from Granville County Animal Control. It was a dirty box of puppies left at the shelter - vomiting, filthy and with small wounds/scabs all over their little bodies .... they tested for Parvo: negative. While we looked for bottle feeding fosters, one passed - another passed on transport and another within an hour of getting 'home'.
Today, one tested positive for Coccidia and a HUGE load of Hookworms: that pup is Mabel, and she is holding steady as of right now. The other two pups were diagnosed as Septic with temperatures too high to even register, and they passed away at the vet.
Losing five dogs in five days is too much ... are hearts are heavy for these dogs who all deserved better. And we are so sorry for the heartbreak the fosters and transport volunteers are going through today.
💗 The best cure for Hiccups? Adoption!*💗
Meet Hiccup, a beautiful Rottweiler puppy with a resilient spirit and a whole lot of love to give. 🐾
Hiccup was born with a cleft palate, which means she’ll need an adopter who understands her unique needs and is ready to give her a little extra care. But don’t let that diagnosis define her—Hiccup is a happy, playful, affectionate puppy who loves toys, adventures, new friends, cuddles, and plenty of puppy kisses.
She’s looking for a family who sees the wonderful puppy beyond her cleft palate and is ready to give her the love and commitment she deserves.
Apply to adopt at freedom-ride.org
A busy - and potentially expensive - week at Freedom Ride Rescue! We lost two puppies yesterday and the surviving littermates are on the way to urgent care today. We got an amazingly sweet pit with heartworms ... an adorable beagle with a broken leg ... and a sweet puppy hit by a car (we are grateful to Veg Animal Hospital for covering her bill.)
Please consider a donation to help us: freedom-ride.org/donate so we can continue taking in with medical needs!!
See us on Instagram
Browse our dogs in foster care and available for adoption!
2026 has been such a roller coaster and the last few days took us down hard ... We said a sudden good-bye to sweet Tori who joined Freedom Ride Rescue in February. She wasn`t doing well suddenly and presented with a very high temp at the vet who recommended we let this amazing 11-year-old go: temps over 106 are when a dog`s organs begin to shut down and that`s how high hers was.
Yesterday, we brought in a very sick litter from Granville County Animal Control. It was a filthy box of puppies left at the shelter - vomiting, dirty and with small wounds/scabs all over their little bodies .... they tested for Parvo: negative. While we looked for bottle feeding fosters, one passed - another passed on transport and another within an hour of getting `home`.
Today, one tested positive for Coccidia and a HUGE load of Hookworms: that pup is Mabel, and she is holding steady as of right now. The other two pups were diagnosed at septic, with temperatures too high to even register. They both passed at the vet.
Losing five dogs in five days is too much ... are hearts are heavy for these dogs who all deserved better. And we are so sorry for the heartbreak the fosters and transport volunteers are going through today.
What a WEEK we have had! Lots of news dogs got their freedom rides - and several medical cases (some anticipated and some SURPRISE!)
We are heartbroken that all but one puppy from a litter passed away since coming to our rescue last night ... the surviving pup is on meds and fluids.
If you are able, please consider a donation (freedom-ride.org/giving). In addition to the pups` vet visits, we have two injured dogs, a pitty with heartworms and a huge gash on his back, anther pitty who is limping - possibly hit by a car while stray?
Thanks as always to the volunteers who foster and transport ... as well as the dedicated shelter staff/volunteers who trust us to take their dogs!
#pawitforward #freedomriderescue #freedomride #nopawsleftbehind
💗 The best cure for Hiccups? Adoption!*💗
Meet Hiccup, a beautiful Rottweiler puppy with a resilient spirit and a whole lot of love to give. 🐾
Hiccup was born with a cleft palate, which means she’ll need an adopter who understands her unique needs and is ready to give her a little extra care. But don’t let that diagnosis define her—Hiccup is a happy, playful, affectionate puppy who loves toys, adventures, new friends, cuddles, and plenty of puppy kisses.
She’s looking for a family who sees the wonderful puppy beyond her cleft palate and is ready to give her the love and commitment she deserves.
Apply to adopt at freedom-ride.org
Your dog has officially taken over the itinerary. 🐶📋
If your pup got to plan the perfect day, what would be on the agenda? A long walk? 🚶 A car ride with the windows down? 🚗 A dip in the pool? 💦 An all-you-can-eat snack buffet? 🦴 Or perhaps a very ambitious schedule of nap → snack → nap again? 😂
Tell us in the comments: What would YOUR dog plan for the two of you? 👇🐾
Bonus points if you give us their full itinerary—we have a feeling some of these dogs have been planning this day for years. 😂
Magical Mira has been waiting for over a year to find her forever home, and we just want to say that people are missing out! Mira is a wonderful, affectionate, playful, silly gal who just wants to be with her people as much as possible (she would also love a family who will play fetch with her every day!)
Apply to meet Mira: www.freedom-ride.org
A tired dog is a happy dog—but tiring them out doesn’t always mean adding more miles to your walk! Especially in these summer temps!
Mental exercise can be just as important as physical exercise, especially for those pups who always seem to have a little extra gas in the tank. From sniffy walks and training games to puzzles, Kongs, snuffle mats, and DIY challenges, enrichment gives dogs a chance to use their brains, noses, and natural instincts.
Swipe through for a few easy ways to add some brain work to your pup’s day—and meet a few of our adorable adoptable dogs along the way! ➡️🐶
💬 What’s your dog’s favorite enrichment activity? Share your best ideas in the comments so we can all steal them! 😉
Those floppy ears. Those soulful eyes. That sweet hound-dog heart. 🥹🐾
Doug is a lovable little explorer who’s always ready to follow his nose on an adventure—and then follow YOU straight to the couch for some love. ❤️
All Doug needs now is a securely fenced yard, a family to adore, and a forever home to call his own
www.freedom-ride.org/for-adoption
🛍️🐾 SHOPPING + ADOPTABLE DOGS? Sounds like a pretty perfect Saturday to us!
Freedom Ride Rescue is headed to The Raleigh Market this Saturday, August 22, and we’re bringing some very cute company along with us! Come spend the day browsing the market and stop by to meet some of our adoptable pups who are hoping their perfect match might just happen to walk through the door. ❤️
📍 NC State Fairgrounds
📅 Saturday, August 22
⏰ 9 AM–5 PM
⭐ IMPORTANT: The Fairgrounds are BIG—but don’t let that stop you from finding us! ⭐
🐾 FRR WILL BE SET UP INSIDE THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING! 🐾
Head inside and look for the Freedom Ride Rescue crew, our volunteers, and—of course—the adorable dogs who will be very happy to see you. Since this is an all-day event, please note the times different dogs will be attending. We will have dogs in and out all day to fill the time!
The Raleigh Market is a great excuse to get out, shop local, hunt for some treasures, and meet a few new four-legged friends along the way. And who knows? The best thing you find all day might not fit in a shopping bag. 😉🐶
Come say hi, love on some pups, learn more about fostering or adopting, and help us give these deserving dogs a little extra exposure.
See you INSIDE the Commercial Building! 🛍️🐾
Beautiful Wyatt is a 5 month old fluffy mix male pup in need of a foster. If you do not have an approved foster application on file with us you can find that on our website www.freedom-ride.org. You must live within an hour from Raleigh/Durham to foster. Wyatt needs a foster until he is adopted not a temporary foster. If you are interested or have questions about Wyatt or fostering in general please email Jennifer@freedom-ride.org.
Another great adoption event in the books!
A huge THANK YOU to our friends at Edit Beer Co. for welcoming Freedom Ride Rescue and our crew of adoptable pups last weekend! We’re so grateful for local businesses that open their doors to us and give our dogs the chance to get out, meet new people, and show everyone just how wonderful they are.
And, of course, thank you to everyone who came out to see us! Whether you stopped by specifically to meet an adoptable dog, came over for some puppy snuggles, chatted with our volunteers, or simply helped give our pups a little extra love and attention, you helped make the day such a fun success.
Every event is another opportunity for our dogs to meet the person who might just change their lives—and we couldn’t do it without wonderful community partners and supporters like you.
Thanks for hanging out with us, Edit Beer Co.! We had a blast and hope to do it again soon! 🐶🍺❤️
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.
Upcoming Events
Don’t miss our fun-filled line up of events!
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.