A donkey sanctuary in the San Francisco Bay Area is mourning the loss of Perry, popularly known for serving as the model for Eddie Murphy's character Donkey in the "Shrek" animated movie.

In the run-up to the release of “Shrek,” a celebrity emerged from a pasture in Palo Alto, California — Perry, a 5-year-old gray miniature donkey. Dozens of animators visited the pasture ...