Little donkey! Ottie named world's SMALLEST at 19 inches – just in time for Christmas

Miniature American donkey Ottie is six inches shorter than the current Guinness World Record holder at just nine months old. 

In spite of being fully grown, he's not eligible to take the official title until he reaches maturity at a year old.

He lives with his owner Cheryl Griffiths, 48, at her home in Sawtry, Cambs.

Ms Griffiths said: "Ottie's amazing and he's such a good addition. He makes a great pet."

"My mum has already said she wants to take him off me and he's small enough to walk around her house.

"But like any animal, he should have a field to run around in. Other than that he's just like a dog. 

"He makes a lot of noise so I always know if someone is nearby, he's like a guard dog actually!"

The smallest donkey in the Guinness Book of Records is 10-year-old KneeHi, a brown jack who measured 25.29 inches at Best Friends Farm in Gainesville, Florida, USA, on 26 July 2011.

Ms Griffiths said: "Ottie is amazing and so pretty. I did a lot of research before I took him home. 

"Donkeys do 90 per cent of their growing in the first year so I knew he wasn't going to grow any more, this makes him around nine inches smaller than the Guinness World Record holder."

Little Ottie is joined by 12 miniature horses but Ms Griffiths is hoping to find a companion for the white jack.

She said: "I'm hoping to find Ottie a girlfriend so he isn't lonely and also so he can breed and others can have a pet."

"But he's too young at the moment and we can't do anything until he's three years old.

"I'm also trying to get in touch with the actor Warwick Davies, who is just over a metre tall. I know he lives nearby and I would love him to meet Ottie."

Ms Griffiths' love of miniatures began when she got a back injury and could no longer ride horses.

She said: "I have been into horses all my life but then I got a back injury so I could not ride them any more.

"With miniatures you can do all the same things but without riding them.

"It's brilliant, they can do shows and competitions like dressage and agility - like an obstacle course where you run alongside them."

Once Little Ottie reaches maturity, Ms Griffiths plans to take Little Ottie to competitions, f??tes and pet shows.

Ms Griffiths added: "Ottie will be part of the agility team, he moves very well but he will need training.

"Miniatures are just like other horses or donkeys, they just don't have as much food and need to exercise a lot. 

"It also gets me out running with them and keeps mef it too. I love it."

A spokesperson for Guinness World Records said: "As Little Ottie is 8 months old then unfortunately he would not qualify for the title yet as our guidelines state that the donkey must be at least a year old. 

"However we would love to hear from his owner in March next year."