Perry, the miniature donkey who inspired the character Donkey in the film “Shrek,” is no more. The animal died on January 3 at the age of 30. Affected by a painful and incurable disease in his hoof, he was euthanized, reports The Sun.
“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved Barron Park donkey, Perry, passed away yesterday at the age of 30. He was a beloved member of our community and we know that many people will be touched by his death,” details Barron Park Donkeys, the Californian wildlife park in Palo Alto, where the animal resided since 1997, on Instagram.
“It just stood on three legs”
Palo Alto said in a statement that Perry suffered from laminitis, a hoof disease that caused him excruciating pain, and a condition in his left hind leg, “which caused him pain when he used it.” He often kept her lifted, adding weight to her right side.
“For a month, he simply stood on three legs and kept one up,” says his caregiver, Jenny Kiratli. Staff tried numerous methods to relieve his pain, including acupuncture and laser light therapy, with no improvement in his condition.
“He obviously suffered a lot. He took a lot of painkillers,” adds the nurse. The decision was ultimately made to euthanize Perry, who “died peacefully.” His remains were left in the pasture for several hours so that his two companions, April and Buddy, could understand the situation and mourn.
A film about Donkey in preparation
DreamWorks screenwriters were inspired by the physical characteristics of the miniature donkey born in 1994 and his behaviors described as “fiery and funny” to create the famous animated character from the film Shrek. The green ogre’s companion, with his twisting lines, was voiced by Eddie Murphy in English and by voice actor Med Hondo, who died in 2019, in French.
Despite the decisive role he had in building the character of Donkey, Perry only received compensation of $75, notes The New Yorker. He was also not credited in the film, the first installment of which was released in 2001. His story helped spark a debate about the recognition of animals in the film industry.
Perry’s soul will live on through Shrek’s most famous sidekick. Eddie Murphy announced last June that a film was in preparation about Donkey, where he will this time be the central character.
