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Rainbow Rescue & Retreat Joins Unleashed's Spring Fling for 2nd Year!

Please join us in welcoming the Rainbow Rescue & Retreat back to Spring Fling this year!! RR&R is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to giving animals a safe place to stay and recover from their situations. They are dedicated to providing sanctuary, rehabilitation, and second chances to animals who often have nowhere else to turn. They focus on animals who need extra time, specialized care, or thoughtful placement — including those with medical needs, behavioral challenges, or long adoption wait times.


Founded on compassion, advocacy, and community care, their mission extends beyond placement:

"We strive to educate, support adopters, and ensure every animal in our care is treated with dignity, patience, and respect."

Rainbow Rescue & Retreat rescues cats, dogs, small animals & reptiles too!


When asked about the past year, this is what Rainbow Recue had to say:


"2025 has been a year of both challenges and meaningful impact for us. While adoptions have slowed across our area, we have remained committed to the animals already in our care — especially those who have waited the longest or require additional medical and behavioral support.


This year, we’ve successfully placed several long-term residents into loving homes, strengthened our foster network, and continued providing sanctuary-level care to animals who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks. Even when placements are slower, our measure of success remains the same: ensuring every animal here is safe, supported, and advocated for.


We’ve also deepened our community connections through events like Spring Fling and local outreach, allowing us to continue raising awareness for animals who deserve more visibility."


Speaking of Spring Fling, here's what they said is their favorite thing about Spring Fling:


"My favorite thing about Spring Fling is the sense of community. It brings together people who genuinely care — about animals, about small organizations, about making a difference. Events like this give our long-term residents a chance to be seen by new eyes, and that visibility means everything. We wanted to participate because even one connection can change an animal’s life."


Adoptable Spotlight


Rainbow Rescue has chosen to highlight Koopa Troopa.


"She is incredibly special to us and truly represents the heart of our rescue. Koopa has been patiently waiting for her perfect match, and events like Spring Fling give her the visibility she deserves. She has so much love to give, and we would be thrilled for more people to learn about her story."


🐾 Meet Koopa Troopa! 🐾
A husky being helped by vets to recover from abuse

This stunning red & white husky was rescued in 2023 after surviving heartbreaking abuse—and now she’s ready to find her forever home! ❤️


Koopa is playful, affectionate, and full of life. She loves adventures, long walks, belly rubs, and splashing in water or mud puddles (you’ve been warned 😂). She’s also a total snuggle bug who could happily watch Moana all day!


She’s brilliant, eager to please, and would thrive with someone active or familiar with working breeds. Koopa attends public events as one of our ambassadors—she’s a fan favorite everywhere she goes!


💖 Koopa’s Perfect Match:

• Active family or adventure buddy

• Secure yard & supervision (classic husky escape artist)

• No small animals

• Either another playful dog or happy as the star of the show

• Someone patient & knowledgeable (or willing to be diligent and taught) about severe PICA


Koopa is spayed, vaccinated, HW-, microchipped, and ready to love big. She has worked through major recovery and rehab—this girl is a survivor with the brightest spirit.


✨ Let’s make this the year Koopa Troopa finds her happily ever after! ✨


📍 Sanford, NC

🐾 Female | Husky | 7/19/21 | 50 lbs

🐶 Dog selective | 🐱 OK w/ slow intro | 🚫 Small animals



More pics of Miss Koopa Troopa


Looking forward, Rainbow Rescue believes:


"Rescue doesn’t survive without community — and the animal rescue world needs you, exactly as you are, in whatever way you’re able to show up.


Maybe that means fostering or adopting. Maybe it means sharing a post, sponsoring a medical bill, volunteering at an event, transporting, or simply advocating for rescue in everyday conversations.


No role is too small. There is no “not enough.” Every share, every dollar, every open door adds up to a life changed.


Rescue can feel overwhelming, but it becomes sustainable when community steps in. There is space for you here — and the animals truly need all of us."


Check out the Rainbow Rescue and Retreat website for more information about them and their mission. Make sure to follow them on their social media accounts, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to keep up with their activities and updates on adoptable pets and the antics of their sanctuary residents.


Visit Rainbow Rescue & Retreat at

Sunday, April 26, 2026

12-6 pm

Koka Booth Amphitheatre


Stay up to date on all things Spring Fling 2026:

 
 
 
Save the Clefts Blog Announcement

Carolina Basset Hound Rescue is joining us for their very first Spring Fling this year, but they are not new to Unleashed! In fact, they will scrub-a-dub-dub your dirty dog this summer! Mark your calendar for 6/20 from 1-4 pm when Carolina Basset Hound Rescue will take over the dog wash at Unleashed at Lake Boone (Lake Boone Trail/Wycliff Rd. Raleigh) and do the washing for you! It is one of our favorite fundraisers- you bring a dirty dog, leave with a clean dog, and the rescue raises funds to save more dogs!! That's what we call a WIN-WIN-WIN!!!


Speaking of saving dogs, CBHR was founded in 1993 and is a volunteer-staffed 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome unwanted basset hounds in both North and South Carolina.


Carolina Basset Hound Rescue works to save basset hounds from neglect, abuse, and abandonment. CBHR is committed to eradicating unnecessary euthanasia for basset hounds. They provide health screenings and medical services such as spay/neuter, and heartworm disease treatment. The rescues are then placed in foster homes to promote emotional healing, proper socialization, and provide a safe place for recovery. Their final goal is to match basset hounds to the perfect forever homes.


CBHR's Mission:

"To rescue, rehabilitate and rehome unwanted basset hounds in North Carolina and South Carolina."

Happy Tails: In 2025, CBHR took in 55 new dogs and completed 63 adoptions!


Adoption Highlight:

Two basset hounds, Beau and Buddy, sitting on a dog bed together

Meet Buddy and Beau, a bonded pair that came into the rescue because their elderly owner could no longer take care of them. They're both around 6 years old and looking for a new home where they can stay together.


Check out their bios and see if they are the right fit for you!

For information about volunteering or adopting, including more about how to help basset hounds in the Carolinas, please visit their website.


Don't miss visiting Carolina Basset Hound Rescue at

Unleashed's 13th Annual Spring Fling Dog & Cat Fundraiser!

Sunday, April 26, 2026

12-6 pm

Koka Booth Amphitheatre


Stay up to date on all things Spring Fling 2026:

 
 
 

Updated: Apr 16

Love Mutts and Cats, too Rescue is coming to Spring Fling 2025!

Love Mutts Rescue has joined us many times for Spring Fling and holds regular adoption events at Unleashed!


Upcoming Love Mutts Events!


We are excited to have them back again in 2026! Being a long-time Spring Fling attendee, Marli, the founder of Love Mutts, says that she loves the different ways it allows the public to be involved with supporting the rescue community and that it brings out people who are interested in adopting a pet!


Love Mutts Rescue is a non-breed-specific dog rescue operating in central North Carolina and south-central Virginia, operating since June of 2006. They are a volunteer-based group that work hard to rescue dogs that come from all backgrounds. They have helped all kinds of animals since they started, including 7,500 dogs, 500 cats, 2 horses, 3 100lb pigs, and a few rabbits and guinea pigs. That's quite a list! Love Mutts pulls dogs from shelters whenever they have foster space available and will also accept dogs when the person who found them or the owner, can keep them in their home and act as a foster parent.


Their rescue motto is

"It Matters to this One"

which is a reference to the Starfish story, as they work to save as many dogs as they can.


The Starfish Story

Once a dog joins the rescue, Love Mutts provides them with appropriate medical care and places them in foster homes where they can be loved and nourished while they await their forever home. Their goal is to help all dogs that come into the rescue and find the families that are destined to be theirs.


Meet Beckham!


Adopt Beckham
Adopt Me!

Meet one of their current adoptable dogs- Beckham. Sound familiar? He should! He was the pet we highlighted in last year's Love Mutts post as well, which means he's still with them after another year! This handsome guy has been with Love Mutts for quite a while, in fact, he's the dog that's been with them the longest! At 55lbs, he isn't too big or too small, he's just right. He is described as an active guy, who would be a great hiking companion. If you're more into hanging around the house, Beckham would love to hang out next to you on the couch, on his own bed, or just by your side, no matter where you are. He is house trained, and crate trained as well.

Beckham the Angel
Adopt Me!

Beckham has lots of dog friends and is good with most dogs, given proper introductions are done. He does best meeting other dogs in a controlled environment like a fenced yard; events can be hard for him because of the extra activity. He has had lots of training and has learned to check in with his handler when he gets stressed. Beckham is currently in boarding, and his adoption includes "lessons" with his current trainer. This guy just celebrated his third birthday; help Beckham find his perfect match so that he gets to spend all the rest of his birthdays with his fur-ever family! If you can't adopt, you can make a donation to Love Mutts to help Beckham and all the other pets in the care of Love Mutts. To help Beckham find his perfect match, share his Petfinder profile far and wide and make sure to check it out yourself to see if he's the one you've been looking for!


Meet Onyx!


Onyx is a wonderful, energetic young boy! He has manners, is house/crate broken, and walks very nicely on leash! He LOVES to play with other dogs & would love a playmate in his forever home. He doesn’t need a playmate, but it makes him happy. Onyx loves to go places like breweries, restaurants, and parks! He rides quietly in the car and loves new adventures!

Onyx is only 50 pounds and is a smallish lab mix. He has a sunshine bright personality! Onyx loves all people & dogs! His high energy means he needs a good introduction to new dogs but if they are up for play, he is too! This marvelous little dude comes with the trainer he’s been living with! His trainer will show you how to walk Onyx & introduce him to new dogs. She would be available to help with the transition, because she loves him SO much & wants to see him happy in his own home! Onyx is ready for a person or family to love him. Is that you? Learn more about Onyx here: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/onyx-6c6dd4ab-5085-420a-b939-57499fd1a777/nc/raleigh/love-mutts-rescue-inc-nc716/details/


Follow Love Mutts on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to keep up to date with their events and more adoptable pets!


Love Mutts Rescue

Foster; It really helps us out!

Don't miss visiting the Love Mutts team at

Unleashed's 13th Annual Spring Fling Dog & Cat Fundraiser!

Sunday, April 26, 2026

12-6 pm

Koka Booth Amphitheatre


Stay up to date on all things Spring Fling 2026:


 
 
 
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