Casa del Burro closes in Rute, Cordoba.

A DONKEY refuge in Rute, Cordoba, has had to close due to lack of funds.

The Casa del Burro, founded in 1999 by the Donkey Defence Association, no longer has the support of its sponsors, the Cordoba Provincial Government or the local town hall, which dismissed the manager of the refuge, Pascual Rovira, in November last year.

However, he still visits the facilities almost every day to care for the 50 donkeys at the shelter.

Many famous people have visited the refuge over the years, including Spain’s Queen Sofia.