A beloved one-year-old donkey named HeeHaw was shot and killed by a Georgia police officer during a late-night search for a missing 12-year-old girl, sparking outrage from the animal’s devastated owner and prompting an independent investigation.

The shooting happened around 12:45 a.m. Aug. 30 at Elsberry Riding & Farm in Rockmart, Georgia, after a bloodhound team followed a trail onto the property while searching for the missing child. The girl was later found safe at a nearby church.

According to an incident report written by Cedartown Police Officer Trenton Garner, officers entered a pasture while following the search trail.

Garner said horses in the field became frightened and ran away. He then reported seeing HeeHaw on a hillside and claimed the donkey began charging toward him and a K-9 handler.

The K-9 handler allegedly attempted to stop the animal with a Taser.

When that did not deter HeeHaw, Garner said he drew his department-issued Glock 17 and fired one shot.

The donkey turned and moved back up the hill before collapsing.

His Owner Says He Was a Gentle Animal
HeeHaw’s owner, Hannah Israel, strongly disputes the suggestion that the donkey posed a serious threat.

She said HeeHaw had been bottle-raised and was accustomed to being around people. The animal had participated in petting zoos and visits to nursing homes and was considered part of the family.

Israel described him as a beloved companion rather than an aggressive animal.

“He was very well socialized,” she told local media. “Heehaw thought people were his family and we were his family.”

Israel has also questioned why officers entered the property without first notifying her.

She said she was devastated that her young donkey was killed while officers were searching for someone else.

A Heartbreaking Final Video
In the days following HeeHaw’s death, Israel shared a video filmed only three days before the shooting.

The footage shows the young donkey walking toward her across the property before affectionately approaching his owner.

For Israel, the video has become an especially painful reminder of how quickly everything changed.

She has said she considered HeeHaw part of her family and had imagined raising future children around him.

“He should not be dead,” she said.

Officer Placed on Administrative Leave
Garner has been placed on administrative leave while the circumstances surrounding the shooting are investigated.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Division is conducting an independent investigation into the animal’s death. No criminal charges against Garner had been announced in the latest reports.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said the state takes animal-death investigations seriously and that the incident would be reviewed thoroughly and impartially.

The investigation is expected to examine the officers’ actions, the circumstances surrounding their entry onto the property and whether the use of deadly force against HeeHaw was justified.

The Missing Girl Was Found Safe
The police search that brought officers onto the property ultimately ended with the missing 12-year-old being located safely at a nearby church.

But for HeeHaw’s family, the successful search came with a devastating loss.

The incident has since generated widespread attention, with supporters calling for accountability and the release of additional information about what happened in the pasture.

Israel has indicated that she intends to pursue legal action.

For now, the central questions remain under investigation: whether HeeHaw actually posed an imminent threat to the officers and whether his death could have been prevented.

While authorities review those questions, Israel is left mourning a young animal she had raised from a bottle and considered her own child.

Course: NY Post