In Palo Alto, California, a very special birthday was celebrated this week. Perry, the little donkey who inspired the character of Donkey in the films of Shrek, blew out thirty candles. An unmissable event for many fans of the saga, who gathered at Barron Park in Palo Alto to visit him and celebrate. Over two hundred area residents visited Perry for a party complete with group photos and a grass ball cake. Many of the participants not only went to visit him at the park, but for years they have been funding the veterinary care he needs. Perry, who is quite possibly the most famous donkey in movie history, suffers from arthritis and hormonal disorders. Disorders that force him to undergo acupuncture sessions to be able to tolerate the pain.
The other two dunces
Two other donkeys live with him in the Palo Alto park: Buddy, 24 years old, suffering from a dental disease, and April, 15 years old, struggling with diabetes and a thyroid disease. In 2023 alone, the local community spent 40 thousand dollars on the care of the three donkeys. “We expect costs to rise, but they are so loved by the community. This is why it is important to continue to guarantee the care they need”, he told al Washington Post Jenny Kiratli, who looks after the three animals at Barron Park.
Perry’s story
Perry is the donkey who inspired the character Donkey, in Italian Ciuchino, whose voice in the American version is provided by Eddie Murphy. It is one of the most iconic characters of Shrek, the Oscar-winning 2001 animated film. Perry arrived in the Palo Alto park in 1997, after his former owner decided to donate him to Barron Park. The real turning point came a few years later, when Rex Grignon, 3D film animator, asked his team of designers to study the little donkey, then giving life to the character of Donkey. The film that made the Palo Alto donkey famous grossed half a billion dollars, but the company limited itself to donating just 75 dollars to the Californian park. Perry wasn’t even mentioned in the credits, but he became a real star for the residents of Palo Alto.
