Perry, a Jerusalem miniature donkey, was first brought to California to help calm polo ponies, but instead he nipped at them, according to the project’s website. So in 1997, the “spunky” 3-year-old was brought to Palo Alto’s Bol Park to live in a pasture set aside for donkeys to graze.

Donkey may not have made waffles in the morning — that last part in Eddie Murphy’s voice — without the help of Perry the Donkey. According to a report from the New York Times, Perry the Donkey, who served as the reference for the Eddie Murphy-voiced character in ‘Shrek,

Known as the inspiration for the character Donkey, voiced by comedy legend Eddie Murphy in the 2001 animated classic “Shrek,” Perry was a beloved staple in the Palo Alto community, remembered for his colorful personality and strong-willed charm.

Perry, a 30-year-old donkey, was the motion model for “Donkey” in the 2001 “Shrek” film. He lived at a Palo Alto pasture for nearly 30 years.

Perry — the miniature donkey who was the animation model for the iconic character voiced by Eddie Murphy in the movie Shrek — has died.