About Us

Friends of Rescue Animals (FRAs) is a 501(c)(3) all volunteer non-profit organization founded in 2004. 

Our mission is to provide resources, programs and education to promote adoption and care of homeless pets in our community.

 

FRAs’ vision is a world where every companion animal has a safe and loving forever home.

The organization was founded as “Friends of the Rowlett Animal Shelter”, and it started with 4 volunteers who wanted to support the Rowlett Animal Shelter.  These volunteers sponsored one or two pets per month and reduced their adoption fees in an effort to increase adoptions for the Shelter. 

After the devastation of the December 2015 tornado, we distributed supplies directly to pet owners through the generosity of businesses, other non-profit organizations, and citizens both near and far, with our volunteers even going into the disaster areas with supplies.

Our organization has grown to 300+ volunteers, and with this growth, we now support both the Rowlett and Garland animal shelters and operate our own cat rescue program. Our name Friends of Rescue Animals reflects the expansion of our impact over the last 20 years. In part due to our efforts, both shelters have an average live release rate that exceeds the 90% benchmark to be considered “no-kill”, which is difficult for a city shelter in Texas. 

In 2016, FRAs began a cat rescue program where cats were able to be adopted from PetSmart in Rockwall. Cats are vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped prior to adoption. Currently, FRAs has cats for adoption at PetSmart in Rockwall and Rowlett, adopting out 375 cats in our fiscal year 2023! 

FRAs became the liason for the City of Rowlett’s Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) Program in 2019.  TNR is the safe, humane way to manage the outdoor cat population.  Colony Managers (anyone caring for outdoor cats) can receive vouchers for vaccinations & spay/neuter surgery as well as borrow humane traps.  

In 2020, FRAs officially began assisting the Garland Animal Shelter & Adoption Center by marketing their pets in need, assisting with emergency care and sponsoring one dog each month for heartworm treatment. We now manage the volunteer program and help more pets in need of emergency care & heartworm treatments.

As community support continues to grow, so do the programs that we can sponsor to increase the life saving impact.  In July 2024 we started covering the fees to transport dogs out of state, and in October 2024 sponsored our first Community Cat Fix Day for City of Rowlett and Garland residents.

FRAs has not only grown in volunteers, but we have expanded our scope to meet the needs of animals in our community. Learning from leaders in the animal welfare community like Austin Pets Alive! and Best Friends, we share best practices and influence policies for success at the shelters we support.