Cape Cod community mourns 'grand old' donkey

Genevieve, a 40-year-old donkey, was killed by a car Thursday morning after escaping from her barn stall in East Sandwich. (Amy Longley for The Boston Globe)

Genevieve the donkey behaved like a house pet. She followed her owner everywhere. She nudged people with her head outstretched, all lips and teeth, imploring them to scratch her ears.

Genevieve's owner, 78-year-old Dick Loring, takes exception with anyone suggesting that she was ordinary.

"She was a grand old lady, she was," Loring said.

The 40-year-old donkey was killed Thursday morning after escaping from her barn stall at Loring's 7-acre farm and bed and breakfast on Cape Cod, where she was beloved by guests and locals. She was struck by a vehicle on Route 6A in East Sandwich.

Police said the driver was not injured, but his car was totaled.

Sandwich Police Chief Mike Miller said the 300-pound donkey may have been difficult for the driver to spot on the road, which does not have street lights in that area. He did not identify the driver. No charges were filed.

Loring said that he bought Genevieve 20 years ago as a pet just a few years after he purchased Wingscorton Farm near Sandy Neck Beach. Genevieve knew how to escape from the barn, Loring said, but she had "never been in trouble before."

Dave Mason, Sandwich barn inspector, said Genevieve "had her own kind of personality" and demanded the attention of visitors by kicking the rail of her stall.

Loring said he planned to bury her near "her buddies," an equally precocious llama named Teddy and a goat with no name that used to follow Genevieve around.

Loring said it will take time to get used to life on the farm without her.

"She was just a little love," he said.