We are a 501 3c charity dedicated to boosting preteen girl's self esteem through (rescue donkey) equine therapy.

You might be asking "why donkeys?" Donkeys are the dogs of the equine world. Donkeys want compassionate leaders not dominators. Teaching a girl to partner with a donkey helps that girl learn to understand herself and to use positive body language.

At the Brave Brays every donkey has a story, each one unique, filled with trials and triumphs.

Mario (formerly Seamus)

Mario was traumatized after years of being used as a roping donkey. Donkeys are not well-suited for roping. Thankfully, an old cowboy was sympathetic to Mario's plight and brought him to a rescue. I met him at the Hangry Donkey Ranch in 2021. I fell in love with his beautiful coloring and pronounced cross on his back. He and his best friend Luigi are now the founding members of the Brave Brays. Mario has persevered through a lot. He is still very reluctant to have his feet cleaned and trimmed, as that is probably a holdover from his days as a roping donkey. He loves his ear massages and butt scratches. Mario is about 12 years old.

Luigi (formerly Luis)

Luigi was one of four similar-looking donkeys rescued from a very bad situation. Unfortunately, Luigi's mother died during the long haul to the Hangry Donkey Ranch. Fortunately, Sweatpea, another donkey mama on the trailer, adopted Luigi and saved his life. That is when I went up to the Phoenix area to check out the Hangry Donkey Ranch. Luigi was bonded to his bestie Mario, so The Hangry Donkey Ranch brought them both down to me in January of 2022. Luigi has been an amazing ball of loving energy ever since. He also turned out to be a surprise non-gelding. will only share THAT story privately. Luigi is about four years old.

Bowser (formally Shrek)

Bowser was originally a breeding jack, but through a series of unfortunate events he ended up at the Lucky A Ranch. Bowser had a bit of a reputation as being aggressive, but I have found him to be sweet. As you can see, he is also quite a looker. Bowser is every donkey’s best friend. He is about 15 years old.

Meet Toadie (formerly Apache)

Bowser was originally a breeding jack, but through a series of unfortunate events he ended up at the Lucky A Ranch. Bowser had a bit of a reputation as being aggressive, but I have found him to be sweet. As you can see, he is also quite a looker. Bowser is every donkey’s best friend. He is about 15 years old.

Kill Pen Halters

Donkey Kong (formerly Romeo)

I made the mistake of looking on Craigslist when I saw this little guy. This beautiful boy was housed alone for a year or two. Donkeys are herd animals, so my heart told me to go check on him. He had been treated well by humans, but he was lonely and stressed. He just paced his yard continually. Now he is happy. Just like Toadie, DK prefers the company of humans to donkeys. He loves head scratches and treats. Donkey Kong is now about 25 years old.

Yogi Bear (formerly Baby Bear)

Yogi Bear is a lively donkey who brings a lot of joy to those around him. He has already made quite a name for himself with his playful spirit. His journey began with his best friend Boo-Boo at the Hangry Donkey Ranch Rescue. Though he's full of energy, he's beginning to show signs of maturity. He is about two years old.

Boo-Boo (formerly Charley)

Boo-Boo was a bit shy, but he loved his best friend Yogi Bear. They were adopted together from the Hangry Donkey Ranch. As they continue to grow and thrive together, their bond not only brings happiness to those around them but also highlights the importance of friendship. Unfortunately, Boo-Boo is sensitive to fly bites near his eyes, but Yogi steals his masks within minutes. Boo-Boo is about two years old.