Words Matter: Rethinking “Freedom Ride” in Animal Well-being
In animal well-being, we celebrate big moments — especially the day a dog leaves the shelter to start the next chapter of their life. For many years, that moment has often been called a “freedom ride.”
The joy behind that phrase is real. But as we’ve taken a closer look at the language we use, we’ve realized that some well-intended words can carry deeper meanings than we first realize.
Where the Term Comes From
The phrase “Freedom Ride” has a specific and powerful origin. It refers to the 1961 Freedom Rides, when civil rights activists of diverse backgrounds boarded interstate buses across the South to challenge segregation and discrimination.
These were not symbolic journeys. Riders faced arrests, mob violence, and brutal attacks — including being beaten and targeted with police dogs — simply for asserting their right to move and speak freely and safely.
That history matters.
Arrest photos of Freedom Riders in Jackson, Mississippi. Photo by Adam Jones, via Wikimedia Commons
Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Why This Feels Especially Relevant Now
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks’s arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus — a moment that helped spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott and reshaped the Civil Rights Movement.
After enduring threats and violence, Rosa Parks eventually made her home in Detroit, where she continued her lifelong work for justice and equality.
For us, this history feels close to home. Detroit and Michigan were shaped by that movement, and in turn helped shape it. Remembering that reminds us to use language that honors the people who took real risks so many of us could benefit from the rights we enjoy and continue to defend today.
Learning Together
This isn’t about getting language exactly right or holding others to a standard. It’s about noticing when familiar phrases deserve a second look and being open to learning something new. We’re part of that process too, and we expect to keep learning as conversations continue.
We still celebrate those joyful moments when a dog leaves the shelter — moments many of us have shared with words like “Coco got her freedom ride.” Lately, we’ve been experimenting with other ways to mark that same milestone, such as:
“Coco got her second chance.”
“Coco got her fresh start.”
“Coco is almost home.”
“Coco is starting her next chapter.”
They’re small shifts, but they help us honor both the joy of the moment and the history behind the words we choose.
We don’t expect to get everything right. What we do hope is to stay curious, open, and willing to adjust as we learn more. Paying attention to language is one small way we try to honor both the animals in our care and the broader community we’re part of.
