ANDY Murray has been chosen as the name for a baby donkey in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen City Council bosses had been torn between christening the newborn foal Andy Murray or Michael Jackson.
So Aberdeen council chiefs decided to let Evening Express readers have their say.
Animal lovers from across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray have been voting for which name the fluffy baby donkey at Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park Pets’ Corner should be given.
And it was a landslide victory – for Andy Murray with 86% of the voters in favour of his name to go to the latest four-legged addition to Pets’ Corner at Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park
The Evening Express previously revealed staff at the Pets’ Corner at the Aberdeen park were primed to call the donkey foal Andy.
They chose the name because the birth coincided with the tennis idol Andy Murray’s epic Wimbledon win over Stanislas Wawrinka.
Pets’ Corner staff said the cute creature “popped out” the moment Andy Murray dropped to his knees after his struggle against his Swiss opponent on Monday.
But after a lengthy meeting Aberdeen City Council opted instead for the name Jackson, in honour of the singer who died last Thursday.
Aberdeen City Council bosses thought his death was “such a major issue” he too deserved recognition.
But Aberdeen Town House chiefs were forced to scrap the decision when they realised the public in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray were so “keen to have their say in naming the foal” and called for a vote.
Evening Express readers had the chance to choose between the two names.
And as Andy Murray kept winning on the court, he has won in Aberdeen.
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: “Evening Express readers’ overwhelming vote in favour of the name Andy for our little donkey shows just how much support there is for Murray at Wimbledon.
“The whole of Aberdeen is behind him and everyone at the council too is backing him to win today – including Andy the donkey.”
The donkey foal at Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park Pets’ Corner, which was officially named Andy today, is now four days old. He was born in his mum Lottie’s pen at the popular Aberdeenpark.
Staff at Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park had considered the two names for the Mediterranean miniature donkey after consulting visiting schoolchildren to the Aberdeen park over what they should call him.
lkernan@ajl.co.uk