Perry the donkey has now died at the age of 30 as a result of an illness. The four-legged friend was the model for the character of Donkey in the film Shrek.

By Sara Ruberg Perry, a miniature donkey whose handlers said he was used by DreamWorks animators as a model for the chatty “Shrek” character named Donkey, died last week at the age of 30.

A real-life donkey who served as the animation model for the character Donkey in the “Shrek” franchise died on Thursday at the age of 30 at his home in California. Pericles, affectionately ...