Our Mission
The Brave Brays' mission is to foster self-esteem in teen and preteen girls while restoring the trust of rescue donkeys. Through the powerful bond between girls and donkeys, we nurture confidence, compassion, and authentic connection. We envision a world where every girl recognizes her inherent worth and feels a deep sense of belonging within her community.

How We Do It
Each girl is thoughtfully paired with a donkey based on her experience and skill level. Girls who are equine-savvy are matched with harder-to-handle rescue donkeys, while others work with gentler, easier-to-handle rescues. Every pairing is intentional, creating space for growth for both the girl and the donkey. All of our donkeys are true rescues. They do not come from petting zoos or entertainment settings. Each one carries a story, and those stories often mirror the experiences of the girls we serve. Together, they learn about body language, energy, trust, and healing. We talk openly about healing. In this space, human and donkey healing happens side by side. We are committed for the long term. Every donkey we rescue stays with us. In our program’s history. This is a reflection of the belonging and connection created here.

Support Is Always Available
Life can be hard. Friends can disappoint us when we need them most. Sometimes we feel like our families don’t understand us. In those moments, it can feel lonely and overwhelming. But we promise you that your days will get better. Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to tell your friends, family, or teachers what you need. When they ask how you’re doing, try to let them in. They truly want to support you. If you are ever thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential, and available 24/7. You are not alone. There are people who care deeply about you and want to help.

The Donkeys The Girls The Current Place The Future place
All 7! Pizza Party! Stables in Tucson Oracle, Arizona

About Brave Brays


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.

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