Donkey rescue organization closing after more than eight years in operation

Save The Brays Donkey Rescue announced on Friday that it is closing after eight-and-a-half years of operation on Friday.

The decision comes after its owner, Kym Garvey, admits to, "no longer hav[ing] it in me."

"For all these years STBDR has been my 24/7 job," Garvey writes on Facebook . "I don’t have the fight, and all the little things have added up to me mentally being done."

Based in Milaca, STBDR have been able to save over 400 donkeys with the help of community donations and volunteers since opening in 2016.

However, Garvey says there is such an overwhelming amount of rescues around the United States while donations have decreased at the same time.

"This decision was not made in haste, and I have been back and forth and looking for signs about it for the last year," Garvey writes explaining her decision. "When I took in the last owner surrender case (Bucky and Sugar) I decided funds raised for Bucky would be my final determining factor."

She decided if she was unable to raise enough for Bucky's surgery, she would shut down. That is ultimately what happened, with Garvey unable to raise the $5,000 needed to get Bucky the surgery.

"It tears at my heart knowing I’m now turning my back on donkeys who need help, but it must be done as I AM DONE," writes Garvey. "I’m done with drama that comes with rescue, I'm done with stupid people."

She condemns the lack of animal welfare laws and emphasizes the need for a Minnesotan donkey rescue center.

She currently has a plan to place their 30 donkeys in a facility not located in Minnesota, saying more information will be posted later.

The facility's assets will be sold, with a large portion of that money going to the facility that will now take care of the donkeys.