Eddie Murphy gets most of the credit for bringing Shrek’s Donkey to life, but he didn’t do it alone. While Murphy’s signature voice provided the comic timing, Donkey’s physical appearance was based on a real-life miniature donkey named Perry, who moved on last week to that great fairy-tale swamp in the sky.

“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved Barron Park donkey, Perry, passed away yesterday at the age of 30,” wrote representatives from The Barron Park Donkey Project. The volunteer-run organization in Palo Alto, California, took care of Perry for the past 27 years. “He was a beloved member of our community, and we know many people will be touched by his passing. Memorial plans will be announced soon.”

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Perry was more than a physical model for Donkey — his personality played a big role as well. DreamWorks animators visited the park in 1999 to learn about how donkeys moved and interacted,...