Shrek fans devastated as California donkey which inspired Eddie Murphy's iconic character dies aged 30

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are the three big names associated with the beloved movie franchise that is Shrek, but this week fans of the animations are paying tribute to a lesser-known star involved in the films: Perry the donkey.

The animal, which passed away earlier this week, was used as a model for what would later become Donkey – the talkative character voiced by Murphy in the 2001 film and its three sequels.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Perry’s owners, Barron Park Donkeys - based in Palo Alto, California - confirmed the donkey died on Thursday at the age of 30.

They wrote: “Throughout his long life here, Perry captured the hearts of the Barron Park community, and far beyond, with his beautiful soulful eyes, his sweet and gentle disposition, his amiable stroll to the pasture gate to greet his visitors, and of course his contributions to the movie Shrek – as the motion model for the Donkey character in the movie.

“We are filled with sadness at his passing, but in his last weeks he was in pain and was suffering increasingly from a condition known as laminitis which is not curable.

“In Perry’s last weeks, all of the handlers spent many hours at the pasture with him, petting him, cradling him, singing to him, and telling him that he was and always will be loved.

“We will miss you Perry. You were a special donkey. We were lucky to have known you and we will never forget you.”

We’re not crying, you’re crying.

Last year, Palo Alto City Council agreed to match donations to Barron Park Donkeys to the tune of $10,000, amid the news that Perry had severe arthritis and the equine version of Cushing’s disease, and was receiving acupuncture to treat his pain.

On Twitter/X, users joked they would be raising a glass in tribute:

Others, meanwhile, paid their respects to a “great donkey” and expressed disbelief at the news:

There were those who noted this isn’t exactly the best start to 2025:

And there’s already calls for Shrek 5 to be dedicated to Perry:

Barron Park Donkeys’ website reveals that despite having a pretty big influence on the animated character we all know and love, Perry was not mentioned in the credits for Shrek.

However, with a fifth outing for the ogre and his friends set to be released in July 2026, there’s a perfect opportunity to right that wrong.

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