Georgia Officer Explains Why He Shot Beloved Donkey HeeHaw During Missing-Child Search

POLK COUNTY, GEORGIA — New details have emerged in the case of HeeHaw, the beloved one-year-old miniature donkey who was fatally shot by a Georgia police officer during a search for a missing child.

A newly released incident report provides the officer’s account of the encounter, while an outside investigation continues to examine what happened that night.

Officer Says HeeHaw Charged Toward the Search Team

According to the report written by Cedartown Police Officer Trenton Garner, he was assisting a Haralson County K-9 team searching for a missing 12-year-old girl in the early hours of August 30.

Garner said the search led officers through a pasture at Elsberry Riding and Farm in Rockmart, where horses became startled and moved away from the officers.

He said HeeHaw then approached and charged toward the officers and the K-9 team.

The officer reported that he attempted to use a Taser to stop the donkey but said it did not work. He then fired one shot, according to the report.

HeeHaw’s Family Has a Very Different Account

HeeHaw’s owner, Hannah Israel, has strongly disputed the suggestion that the donkey was aggressive or posed a serious threat.

Israel said HeeHaw had been bottle-raised from the time he was born and was extremely comfortable around people. He regularly participated in petting zoos and visits where children and adults could interact with him.

The family has described him as a beloved member of their household rather than simply a farm animal.

Israel has questioned whether the situation could have been handled without the shooting and has continued calling for answers.

The Search Ended With the Child Found Safely

Police were searching for the missing girl when the encounter with HeeHaw occurred.

The child was eventually found safely at a nearby church, according to authorities.

The shooting of the donkey, however, quickly became the focus of public attention, with supporters of the family demanding transparency and accountability.

Officer Remains on Administrative Leave

Garner has been placed on administrative leave while the circumstances surrounding the shooting are investigated.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division is conducting an outside investigation after Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome requested state involvement.

Newsome has said the department wants the investigation to provide an independent review of the incident.

Body-Camera Footage Could Provide More Answers

The officer’s written report is only one account of what happened.

Chief Newsome has confirmed that body-camera footage exists and that he has viewed it, but he has declined to publicly describe the footage while the investigation remains active.

That footage could become an important piece of evidence as investigators determine exactly what occurred between HeeHaw and the officers.

For now, authorities have not announced any final conclusion about whether the officer’s actions were justified.

A Family Still Mourning HeeHaw

While the investigation continues, Israel and her family are left mourning an animal they had raised and cared for since he was only hours old.

The case has drawn widespread attention because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the encounter and the sharply different perspectives about whether HeeHaw represented a threat.

As investigators review the evidence, the central question remains unanswered: what exactly happened in that pasture, and could the encounter have ended differently?

For HeeHaw’s family, they are hoping the investigation will finally provide the answers they have been seeking.