Whoo, have a look at that — the Barron Park Donkeys of Palo Alto are about to come back right into a bit of presidency cash.
The mayor and the Metropolis Council of the Northern California metropolis determined final week to contribute a $10,000 matching grant to the group that cares for a trio of asses — together with one particular donkey on which the “Shrek” film character named Donkey was modeled — that stay on a one-acre pasture in Bol Park. The animals’ maintenance has gotten extra pricey as they’ve aged, and the group took on a 3rd donkey final 12 months, stated Jenny Kiratli, the lead donkey handler.
Whereas the donkeys could possibly be taken care of for an annual finances of about $12,000 to $15,000 only a few years in the past, the addition of the third donkey and new medical circumstances which have cropped up have raised bills to as a lot as $40,000 per 12 months, Kiratli stated.
“Folks go to the donkeys as a result of it’s a relaxed place to go. The world is smart while you’re there,” Kiratli stated.
Though the pleasant creatures have lots of help locally, one Palo Alto council member opposed the grant as a result of town is going through a finances crunch.
“I’ve to object to giving $10,000 away as a result of, you understand, town is shedding cash,” Councilmember Greg Tanaka stated. “We’ve got a deficit for the subsequent 4 years or so. It simply appears irresponsible, in my view, so I don’t help this and I don’t assume we ought to be doing this proper now.”
However Palo Alto Mayor Greer Stone responded that the donation comes from the Metropolis Council’s contingency fund, which has $77,000 left to spend.
If the council doesn’t spend the cash earlier than July 1, it gained’t roll over into the subsequent fiscal 12 months, he stated.
The oldest donkey of the bunch is Perry, who turns 30 on Sunday.
Though many say Perry is the inspiration for the character Donkey from “Shrek,” Kiratli stated the story is a little more sophisticated.
The Shrek creators had begun to design Donkey, however they wanted to review the motion of an precise donkey to make the character as actual as doable.
The spouse of one of many animators typically walked previous Bol Park and the donkeys that lived there, and she or he advised her husband about it.
A bunch of 10 to fifteen animators went to Bol Park and studied Perry, then nearly 5 years outdated, and his actions had been integrated into the design of Donkey.
A lot older now, Perry spends his time grazing with Buddy, 24, and April, 15.
“There’s something very therapeutic about donkeys. It’s a break from the stresses and the tempo of Silicon Valley,” Kiratli stated.
