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
Facts You Should Know
Nearly 7 million animals enter U.S. shelters each year and over 1 million of them are euthanized.
In 2024, there were 27 natural disasters in the U.S., resulting in losses of over $1B each.
83% of pet owners live in areas impacted by disaster.
There are 22 million pets living in underserved communities.
Race For Life Rescue Numbers
Flights
VOLUNTEERS
ANIMALS SAVED
STATES COVERED
*as well as Puerto Rico and the Bahamas
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
Get along little doggies! 🤠 Last week, 31 pups made the journey of a lifetime from Texas to incredible adoption centers in Chicago and Wisconsin, thanks to our partners at @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell ❤️
No tricks, just treats with these cuties! 🧡🖤 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!🐦⬛🎃🕸️🕷️💀🐾
A huge thank you to our partners, donors, supporters, volunteers and friends…this post wouldn’t be possible without all of you! WE LOVE YOU! 🥂🍾 🩵
Here are some of the 54 pups we flew from Mobile, AL to Brandywine Valley, PA this weekend! @aspca
Thank to our partners at the @aspca we found ourselves in Mobile, AL yesterday morning, where 54 dogs from 4 area shelters were awaiting their freedom flight to Brandywine Valley, PA! 🧡
It was a beautiful day to be in the sky and saving lives. Thankful for this team! 🐶🐾
This week, we flew our 9,000th passenger! And it was amazing to do it with such a great team. With @bissellpets and @cathy_bissell we filled the plane with dog, puppies, cats and kittens from Baton Rouge, LA and made the journey to Nee York, where our wonderful friends from @animalleague were waiting to welcome these incredible pets.
They do such amazing work at North Shore Animal League, so we know this is just the beginning of a fantastic future for these animals. ❤️
Every flight is awesome, and each passenger is our favorite…but yesterday’s flight from Baton Rouge, LA to New York, was extra special because we hit another milestone!
🎉🎈WE FLEW OUR 9,000th PASSENGER!!! 🎈🎉
Sooo close to that 10,000 double digit level! 🤩 #goals
Earlier this week, we flew 30 “oh-so-cute” dogs and puppies from Alabama to Minneapolis, MN, thanks to our incredible partners at the @aspca 🧡
These lively, lucky pups are halfway home thanks to life-saving flights like these! 🐾
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.
Our Partners
We've Also Worked With...
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.