Georgia Police Officer Placed on Leave After Shooting Family’s Beloved Pet Donkey

A family in Georgia is grieving after their baby miniature donkey, HeeHaw, was tragically shot and killed by a police officer.

According to HeeHaw’s owner Hannah Israel, cops entered the pasture on her family farm after midnight during a search for a missing child.

The donkey came up to them braying, and the officers tried to taze it before shooting it to death. They say they felt “threatened.”

A very sad photo of the aftermath shows Hannah crying over HeeHaw’s dead body:

A baby pet donkey was shot and killed by police during a search for a missing person

HeeHaw ran toward officers braying and was shot by an officer who claimed he felt threatened pic.twitter.com/lExrfB3wQO

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) August 31, 2026

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Rightfully so, the family is devastated and furious.

The New York Post shared a statement from Hannah Israel:

Hannah Israel, 30, said officers entered the family’s property in Cedartown — near the Alabama border — without notice at about 12:45 a.m. while chasing a suspect when they came across HeeHaw.

“They claimed he ran up to them braying and they thought they were in danger and shot and killed him after trying to Taze him,” Israel wrote on Facebook.

“HeeHaw was raised in the house and did petting zoos he never knew a stranger,” Israel added. “And was shot and killed in his OWN pasture for doing what donkeys do. Alerting to a stranger…”

Israel noted that HeeHaw came from Elseberry Riding and Farm in Rockmart, and he was bottle-raised by her at her pasture.

“We are heartbroken. He was my son,” she wrote.

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Here’s some additional footage from HeeHaw’s life:

I have a sad and genuinely infuriating story…

A little donkey named HeeHaw was sh0t and k*lled… by police… in the middle of the night… on his own family's farm.

His "crime"? He ran up to the officers braying, being a friendly donkey.

This happened in Polk County,… pic.twitter.com/d4v1zbymbq

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) August 31, 2026

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I have a sad and genuinely infuriating story…

A little donkey named HeeHaw was sh0t and k*lled… by police… in the middle of the night… on his own family’s farm.

His “crime”? He ran up to the officers braying, being a friendly donkey.

This happened in Polk County, Georgia, around 12:45 in the morning.

According to the family that owns Elsberry Riding and Farm, officers came onto their property, into the pasture, searching for a missing person. The family says they did it without permission.

And there was HeeHaw. A small, curious donkey doing what donkeys do. The family says he ran up to the officers braying to greet them.

The family says the officers tried to TASE him first and then one of them sh0t him, and he passed away.

A small donkey trotting up braying is not a threat.

You do not need a taser, and you SURE AS HELL don’t need a bullet, for a friendly farm animal, any Southern person knows that.

To their credit, the department is not sweeping it away.

The Cedartown Police Chief launched an investigation and put the officer who fired on administrative leave. GOOD.

And the Sheriff’s Office, which wasn’t even involved, took the time to send condolences to the family.

HeeHaw wasn’t a threat. He was a pet. And he trusted people right up until the end.

Rest easy, HeeHaw.

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Dangerous where? He was a literal child and so fun to be around. A farm highlight! When my children get to the farm their first question is “ Where is HeeHaw? “ *treats in hand*

#JusticeforHeeHaw pic.twitter.com/VFRFWUDG4y

— Tiffany Noelle (@NoelleInBloom) September 1, 2026

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Looking at photos and videos of HeeHaw makes it very difficult to imagine how anyone could feel threatened by such an adorable, gentle animal…

The officer who shot HeeHaw has been placed on leave by the police department, which has launched an investigation into the incident.

Newsweek confirmed:

Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome said the department’s command staff has launched an investigation into the shooting, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

The officer who fired the fatal shot has not been publicly identified and has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. Officials have not provided further details about the circumstances that led to HeeHaw being shot.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the family and everyone affected by this unfortunate incident,” the sheriff’s office said, per Fox 5 Atlanta, adding that it understood “the concern and sadness surrounding what occurred.”

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Watch the Cedartown Police Chief’s official video statement here:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT on the Killing of HeeHaw
Monday, August 31, 2026
Statement from Cedartown Police Chief Newsome pic.twitter.com/sCZDhocxt2

—

Tales of Badge & Blaze

(@ScottEnlow) September 1, 2026

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HeeHaw’s family are promising to take legal action over his death.

They have started a GoFundMe in order to raise funds for legal fees. At the time of writing this, they have paused donations after raising over $115K.

Meanwhile, the Cedartown Police Department is getting completely slammed on Facebook.

Take a look at this:

The Cedartown Police Department, the force that employs the officer that murdered HeeHaw the petting zoo donkey, is getting absolutely bodied on Facebook.https://t.co/cpqPPGfcCC https://t.co/4ZKXCplHa1 pic.twitter.com/hQaTLPVAYs

— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) August 31, 2026

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Rest in peace, HeeHaw.

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[ H/T WLT Report ]