HOPE HAS WINGS
Race for Life Rescue is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides air transportation for animals in life-threatening situations. Not only ensuring they survive, but thrive.
What We Do
To put it simply, we save lives. We rescue animals from overpopulated shelters, areas affected by natural disaster, and relocate those living in unhealthy environments to safe locations where they have a chance to begin a new life and find a loving home.
How We Do It
With a state-of-the-art airplane and team of dedicated pilots, we fly animals in the most gentle, safe, and secure conditions. We make every effort to minimize any stress or anxiety they might experience, because transporting animals by air ensures they reach a safe location as quickly as possible.
Where We Operate
While our headquarters is in Annapolis, MD, our plane resides in Nashville, TN – a prime midwest location that allows us to easily transport animals and fly rescue missions all over the United States, throughout the Caribbean and South America.
Our Mission
“At Race for Life Rescue, we believe every animal deserves a safe, healthy environment where they can flourish. Our goals are to reduce euthanasia by relocating animals to adoption centers that have a greater capacity for care and high adoption rates, provide lifesaving supplies and emergency evacuation for animals during natural disasters, and support underserved communities with the provisions and program needs necessary to their success.”
Jim DeFrancesco, Founder
Our Flight Focus
PET OVERPOPULATION
Overcrowded shelters lead to difficult decisions, and outcomes we are all too familiar with. By working with partners like BISSELL Pet Foundation, we’re turning consequences into second chances. Each week, we transport at least 100 healthy, adoptable pets to safe rescues where they have a new opportunity to flourish and find a loving home.
DISASTER RELIEF
There were 18 weather/climate disaster events throughout the year, with losses exceeding $1 billion each that affected the U.S. A lack of emergency resources and limited co-sheltering options often force families to face an agonizing decision: shelter in place to stay with their animals or evacuate without them. We hope to mitigate these perilous situations by offering critical transportation and supplies.
COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS
People living in underserved communities care about their pets as much as anyone else in the nation. However, in these areas there is extreme inequity in access to veterinary care, spay/neuter providers, as well as other services most Americans take for granted. Our goal is to team with corporations and organizations to provide the necessary services and resources to keep pets healthy and with their families.
Facts You Should Know
Nearly 7 million animals enter U.S. shelters each year and over 1 million of them are euthanized.
18 natural disasters occurred in the U.S. in 2022 and 83% of pet owners live in areas impacted by disasters.
There are 22 million pets living in underserved communities.
Race For Life Rescue Numbers
Flights
VOLUNTEERS
ANIMALS SAVED
STATES COVERED
*including Puerto Rico
Be a Champion For The Animals
We’re asking everyone to consider a monthly gift to Race for Life Rescue. Monthly gifts are the best, most effective way for you to help us continue rescuing animals and ensuring they have long, happy lives.
The Sky Is Not The Limit
By building long-lasting, trusted relationships with our partners, we’re able to maximize our missions and expand our rescue territory. If you think we could provide an impact in your mission to save animals and support communities, we want to hear from you!
Featured Flights & Mission Highlights
After another long week of saving lives, Mother Nature treated our pilots to a spectacular sunset as they made their way home.
She is mightily fearsome, but easy to forgive. 💛💙🖤
After another long week of saving lives, Mother Nature treated our pilots to a spectacular sunset as they made their way home.
She is mightily fearsome, but easy to forgive. 💛💙🖤
It was off to Kalamazoo for this crew! Yesterday morning, 51 dogs and cats left Tennessee and the horrific wake of Helene, for Kalamazoo, MI and Sheboygan, WI thanks to the amazing shelter network of @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell 👏🏼 It was a first class flight for these little souls! ✈️ ❤️ 🐾
We flew these lucky pets to safe shelters where they can be assured of a warm, dry bed and fresh start.
We wish them all the best a beautiful life has to offer! ☺️
It was off to Kalamazoo for this crew! Yesterday morning, 51 dogs and cats left Tennessee and the horrific wake of Helene, for Kalamazoo, MI and Sheboygan, WI thanks to the amazing shelter network of @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell 👏🏼 It was a first class flight for these little souls! ✈️ ❤️ 🐾
We flew these lucky pets to safe shelters where they can be assured of a warm, dry bed and fresh start.
We wish them all the best a beautiful life has to offer! ☺️
124 lives were saved…puppies and kittens will know the joys of a warm home and full bellies at bedtime.
When it seems like there’s so much going wrong in the world, here’s a reminder that 124 things went right today. ❤️
#animalrescue #shelterdog #adopt #savethemall
124 lives were saved…puppies and kittens will know the joys of a warm home and full bellies at bedtime.
When it seems like there’s so much going wrong in the world, here’s a reminder that 124 things went right today. ❤️
#animalrescue #shelterdog #adopt #savethemall
What’s better than a sweet, pink snoot? 🤔
124 OF THEM! 😍🤓🤗 This morning we slipped back down to Baton Rouge, LA to welcome 86 pups and 38 kitties onboard, thanks to @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell as well as the countless shelter friends who make these flights possible. Today these adorable passengers made their way to Bradley, CT and Portland, ME where they’ll face fresh starts and brights futures in their new New England stomping grounds. Just in time for peak leaf peeping little ones! 🐾🍁🍂
In spite of the natural disasters we’re facing, overpopulated and overwhelmed shelters are still in crisis and need our help! ❤️
What’s better than a sweet, pink snoot? 🤔
124 OF THEM! 😍🤓🤗 This morning we slipped back down to Baton Rouge, LA to welcome 86 pups and 38 kitties onboard, thanks to @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell as well as the countless shelter friends who make these flights possible. Today these adorable passengers made their way to Bradley, CT and Portland, ME where they’ll face fresh starts and brights futures in their new New England stomping grounds. Just in time for peak leaf peeping little ones! 🐾🍁🍂
In spite of the natural disasters we’re facing, overpopulated and overwhelmed shelters are still in crisis and need our help! ❤️
This week brought us to eastern #tennessee ~ another region recovering from the havoc of Hurricane Helene ~ to help 72 dogs and cats board a flight bound for Virginia and New York. Thanks to @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell these 22 pups and 50 kitties have warm, safe beds to sleep in tonight, and a brand new life to begin tomorrow!
#hurricanehelene #disasterrelief #animalrescue #va #ny
✈️❤️🐾
This week brought us to eastern #tennessee ~ another region recovering from the havoc of Hurricane Helene ~ to help 72 dogs and cats board a flight bound for Virginia and New York. Thanks to @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell these 22 pups and 50 kitties have warm, safe beds to sleep in tonight, and a brand new life to begin tomorrow!
#hurricanehelene #disasterrelief #animalrescue #va #ny
✈️❤️🐾
Last week, on October 3rd, as we were delivering relief supplies and evacuating animals displaced by Hurricane Helene, these flights marked our two year anniversary! It was a bit of deja rescue for us too. In 2022, we made our first flight from Naples, FL with 36 cats who were relocated to Nashville, TN in the wake of Hurricane Ian. Since then, we’ve transported over 5,400 animals, across 57 cities in nearly 100 flights.
Transporting 7,500 lbs of supplies and flying 250+ animals from hurricane ravaged areas in North Carolina and Florida, and working with such amazing responders and shelter teams, has been a life-changing experience. We’re reminded every day why we love our job and are deeply dedicated to our mission.
We can’t wait to see what the next two years bring and we can’t thank our partners, donors and friends enough - we wouldn’t be here without you! ❤️🐾✈️
Last week, on October 3rd, as we were delivering relief supplies and evacuating animals displaced by Hurricane Helene, these flights marked our two year anniversary! It was a bit of deja rescue for us too. In 2022, we made our first flight from Naples, FL with 36 cats who were relocated to Nashville, TN in the wake of Hurricane Ian. Since then, we’ve transported over 5,400 animals, across 57 cities in nearly 100 flights.
Transporting 7,500 lbs of supplies and flying 250+ animals from hurricane ravaged areas in North Carolina and Florida, and working with such amazing responders and shelter teams, has been a life-changing experience. We’re reminded every day why we love our job and are deeply dedicated to our mission.
We can’t wait to see what the next two years bring and we can’t thank our partners, donors and friends enough - we wouldn’t be here without you! ❤️🐾✈️
From Rutherfordton to Winston-Salem, these little paws and claws are well on their way to a fresh start! 🐱🐶
#hurricanehelene #disasterrelief #animalrescue
@bissellpets @cathy_bissell
From Rutherfordton to Winston-Salem, these little paws and claws are well on their way to a fresh start! 🐱🐶
#hurricanehelene #disasterrelief #animalrescue
@bissellpets @cathy_bissell
The generosity of our shelter friends and communities is amazing. We came back to NC today from NY with a plane full of supplies and crates for Rutherfordton. ✈️ 📦🩵
#hurricanehelene #disasterrelief #animalrescue
@bissellpets @cathy_bissell
The generosity of our shelter friends and communities is amazing. We came back to NC today from NY with a plane full of supplies and crates for Rutherfordton. ✈️ 📦🩵
#hurricanehelene #disasterrelief #animalrescue
@bissellpets @cathy_bissell
Flying Saves More Lives
We never lose sight of what’s at stake if we don’t complete our mission. We aim to safely transport as many cats and dogs as we can from overcrowded shelters to new adoption partners across the US.
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Our Partners
Get On Board Now
Race For Life Rescue intends to become one the largest animal air transport programs in the country. We are building a passionate team of pilots and animal advocates to increase our animal rescue operation and conduct multiple rescue missions each week.
We need your help. Every donation, each partnership, and all our volunteers are vital in helping us achieve our goal of providing thousands of animals with a new life, in a loving home.
