HeeHaw donkey shooting has left a Georgia farm family demanding answers from police.
A Georgia police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a family’s pet donkey was shot and killed during an overnight search in Polk County.
The donkey, named HeeHaw, belonged to Elsberry Riding and Farm in Rockmart, Georgia. His owner, Hannah Israel, said he was bottle-raised, friendly and used in petting zoo visits.
Police Were Searching For A Missing Child
Cedartown police officers were helping Polk County police search for a missing child around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, August 30, 2026, when the shooting happened, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Police said the child had not been found at the time of the shooting but was later found at a church near the pasture where HeeHaw was killed, according to Atlanta News First.
Officials have not publicly released the name of the officer who fired the shot.
Owner Says Officers Entered Without Warning
Israel said officers entered her pasture without permission or warning before encountering HeeHaw.
She said police later told her the donkey ran toward them while braying and that an officer tried to use a Taser before shooting him.
Israel told Atlanta News First that braying would have been normal behavior for HeeHaw because he was used to greeting people.
Family Says HeeHaw Was Gentle
Israel said HeeHaw had just turned 1 a few months earlier and was the smallest of her miniature donkeys.
She said she bottle-fed him from birth and that he had been raised around people, children and other animals.
“He was my kid,” Israel told Atlanta News First while describing the loss.
Investigation Turned Over To State Agency
Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome said he was heartbroken by the situation and had requested an investigation by the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The officer was placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation is pending.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says its Law Enforcement Division can receive complaints involving animal cruelty or neglect and advises reports to include dates, locations, witness details and evidence when available.
Sheriff’s Office Says It Was Not Involved
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said it was not involved in the shooting.
In a statement reported by WRGA, the sheriff’s office said the agencies involved were the Polk County Police Department and the Cedartown Police Department.
The sheriff’s office also offered condolences to the family and asked the community to seek information from the agencies involved.
Family Seeks Legal Action
Israel has said she hired a lawyer and plans to pursue legal action over HeeHaw’s death.
A GoFundMe fundraiser created by Israel says donations will help cover legal fees, with unused funds going back toward animal care and feed.
The case has drawn public attention because HeeHaw was killed on his family’s property during a police search that did not involve the animal.
The investigation is expected to determine what happened in the pasture and why the officer believed deadly force was needed.