Herd in the hall: DNC donkeys disappear, then return to fold

First, the good news: All of the decorative "donkeys around town" are safe and accounted for.

Now, the scare: Two of the 57 fiberglass donkeys, representing Democratic delegations from U.S. states and territories and posed artfully around Philadelphia to celebrate the upcoming Democratic National Convention, went missing briefly.

The donkey representing Guam, perched at the top of the iconic steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, was picked up and tossed into some nearby bushes, according to former Gov. Ed Rendell, chairman of the DNC host committee.

Guam voters cast ballots in presidential caucuses and send delegates to the party conventions, but can't vote for president. The U.S. Constitution is silent on the rights of their representative donkey.

Rendell said the donkey in question, painted by artist Juan Dimidia, came back undamaged.

It was inspected by one of the "donkey doctors," artistic experts on standby to care for the installations, said Rendell, who came up with the idea for the political art project.

The donkey representing Kansas, painted by artist Edgar Jerins and installed at One Logan Square, was temporarily taken inside during last week's Wawa Welcome America! concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Rendell said. It is now back at its post.

The other trouble so far for the herd has been the anti-fracking activists who placed what Rendell called "papier-mâché poop" under the donkeys.

"Our donkey doctors have removed all of those," Rendell said. "All are well and up in place. And they're poopless."

brennac@phillynews.com

215-854-5973 @ByChrisBrennan