Behind the scenes of rescue: Why Mikayla’s loss is a loss for us all
Mikayla Raines was the founder of SaveAFox Rescue in central Minnesota. Mikayla’s tragic death is felt across the rescue world and beyond, shining light on the importance of support and wellness in animal welfare.
The rescue community is grieving.
Recently, we learned of the tragic loss of Mikayla Raines, the founder of Save A Fox Rescue and a passionate advocate for wildlife and animal welfare. Though we didn’t know her personally, many of us at BARC had crossed paths with her work, were inspired by her rescue, and followed her incredible journey. Mikayla dedicated her life to saving foxes, giving voice to the voiceless, even when it cost her everything.
Her death, a result of a long battle with mental illness, struck a deep chord within the rescue world. And while it’s heartbreaking, it is unfortunately not uncommon.
This blog post isn’t just about honoring Mikayla. It’s about lifting the veil on what it really means to work in animal rescue and why it’s time for our communities to approach rescuers with empathy, not assumption.
Images of Mikayla, SaveAFox Founder who tragically passed away recently, with foxes via social media. Mikayla was a well-known YouTube star, influencer, and animal welfare activist.
The silent weight of rescue work
Animal rescue is filled with wagging tails, second chances, and joyful adoption days. But behind the curtain is a constant storm of emotional, financial, and logistical weight. It is not a job. It's a calling. And often, that calling takes a serious toll.
Many rescues, including our own at BARC Rescue Center AKA Castle Valley Animal Rescue, operate at a loss. The cost of medical care, transportation, food, shelter supplies, and behavioral rehab far outweighs what we receive in donations. And yet we keep going because walking away means walking away from animals who have no one else.
We face burnout. Sleepless nights. Death. Accusations. The heartbreaking cases we come across. The cruelty of public criticism from those who don’t see the full picture. The weight of deciding who we can save, because we know we can’t save them all.
And through it all, we show up. Because we love them. Because they deserve someone who won’t give up.
Rescue doesn’t mean perfect
Mikayla’s story was an extraordinary one. Saving 500 foxes from a fur farm is something few people would even attempt or could even have the courage to do, but she did. And yes, it was messy. Yes, it was hard. And yes, she was criticized. But, when your work saves lives, you save lives.
In rescue, it’s easy to look from the outside and think, “That could have been handled better.” And maybe it could have. But it’s important to understand: every rescuer has made urgent, imperfect decisions in an attempt to save lives, and sometimes we have to. It doesn’t mean we are irresponsible. It means we are human.
At BARC, we’ve faced our share of misunderstandings and scrutiny. We’ve been called into question by people who don’t know our staff, our dogs, or our hearts. We’ve dealt with awful accusations made by people who have no idea what we put into the dogs in our care and the sacrifices that we make every single day. But we keep doing the work because we genuinely believe in it and because we know that even on the worst days, it matters.
As the only rural Utah dog rescue in our area that serves Carbon County and Emery County, helping shelters like the Emery County Shelter maintain No-Kill Status, this calling runs deep. It’s what carries us through the hate, the tough conversations with adopters, and the quiet, behind-the-scenes challenges that few ever see.
The people behind the mission
The faces behind a rescue like BARC Boarding and Rescue Center aren’t nameless organizations. They’re people. Moms. Dads. Vet techs. Teachers. Volunteers. Many of us are neurodivergent or living with invisible disabilities. We’ve experienced trauma. Many of us struggle financially. Some of us struggle with mental health, just like Mikayla did.
According to research, up to 77% of animal welfare workers experience compassion fatigue, and rates of depression and suicide in this field are alarmingly high. The mental and emotional toll that animal rescue takes is real, and it can be debilitating. But this isn’t just about statistics, it’s about lives. It’s about the reality that the very people saving lives are losing themselves in the process.
We share this not to guilt, but to humanize. The next time you feel tempted to criticize a rescue you don’t understand, pause. Choose kindness. Ask questions. Offer help. Remember that no one is getting rich off of this work. Especially a rural, Utah-based nonprofit rescue like ours. Hands get dirty, toys get destroyed, second chances are created, but it comes at a cost—a sacrifice that not everyone is cut out for.
And it’s all for them.
Community support makes a world of difference
It’s easy to point fingers. It’s harder but more meaningful to lend a hand.
Have ideas? We invite you to get involved. Come volunteer at an adoption event. Donate time or supplies. Offer your voice to help spread the word about the dogs who still need homes.
We aren’t perfect. But we are trying, every single day. And we do this out of love, not for likes. If you're passionate about better outcomes for animals, join us. We welcome your voice, your skills, your kindness. Mikayla’s story reminds us of just how imperative community support is and of how important it is to assume the best when it comes to the difficult world of nonprofit animal rescue work.
A call to the community
Mikayla’s passing is a tragic reminder that rescuers are not invincible. They are tender-hearted, overwhelmed, and often carrying more than they’ll ever admit. Her story is not just a loss for the fox rescue world. It’s a loss for all of us who care deeply for animals.
Please, let this be your sign to choose empathy.
Choose to uplift rather than criticize.
Choose to believe in the good we’re trying to do.
Choose to get involved instead of tearing down.
If you want to support a rescue, start by supporting the humans behind it. Sometimes, they’re the ones who need compassion the most.
💛 If you're struggling with mental health, you're not alone. Please call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or reach out to someone you trust.
🐾 If you’d like to get involved with our mission at BARC Rescue Center, whether by donating, volunteering, or learning more about what we do, visit us here.
Let’s honor Mikayla by continuing the work she loved and by choosing compassion over cruelty. For the animals. For the rescuers. For all of us.
To Mikayla’s family, her team at Save A Fox, and every life she touched: Please accept our deepest condolences. The legacy Mikayla leaves behind is one of fierce compassion, unmatched devotion, and a love for animals that changed the world. And it has been KEY in lighting the fire in us to run BARC/Castle Valley Animal Rescue.
We hope you feel the love of a rescue community that is grieving with you, standing with you, and inspired to carry the torch forward in her honor.
Rest in paradise, Mikayla. The foxes, and all of us, will never forget you. 🦊💛
