Perry, the donkey who inspired Eddie Murphy’s character in the movie Shrek, passed away at the age of 30, leaving fans heartbroken.
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Pericles, who was better known by his nickname Perry, had been diagnosed with laminitis, an incurable disease, according to an Instagram post from the sanctuary where he lived, Barron Park Donkeys, in California.
In the post, made last Saturday (4), the park revealed that he was suffering from a lot of inflammation in his body. They praised Perry for “charming” people and for being a “beloved member” of the community, and noted that “memorial plans will be announced soon.”
Perry was originally brought to California in 1997 as an emotional support animal for ponies, but “instead of calming them down, he bit them,” the sanctuary stated on its website.
A few years later, in 1999, staff from Pacific Data Images, “a local company hired by DreamWorks for 3D animation,” visited Perry at the sanctuary so that the animators could learn how donkeys moved.
Although Perry served as inspiration for the iconic character, with the animators using his mannerisms and sense of humor, Barron Park Donkeys lamented on its website that he was unfortunately not credited in the movie.
Photo and video: Instagram @bpdonkeys. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.