‘Justice for HeeHaw’ – police shoot and kill baby donkey after it brayed at officer

| Live News Reporter Published September 1, 2026 6:39pm Updated September 1, 2026 6:43pm To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video An officer has been removed from duty after allegedly shooting and killing a donkey named HeeHaw. Polk County Police in Georgia were searching for a missing child when a Cedartown police officer, who was assisting, opened fire on the animal as it grazed in its pasture. Farm owner Hannah Israel said police claimed the donkey ran towards them while braying. They tried to taser the donkey, thinking they were in danger, before shooting Heehaw. ‘We are heartbroken. He was my son,’ she said of the donkey, who she bottle-raised. ‘HeeHaw was raised in the house and did petting zoos; he never knew a stranger. He was shot and killed in his own pasture for doing what donkeys do. Alerting to a stranger.’ The foal had been bottle fed and slept indoors (Picture: Facebook) The missing child was later found at a church near the pasture where Heehaw lived. Police have turned the investigation over to the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement for an investigation and put the officer on paid leave. The sheriff’s office issued a statement reading: ‘We extend our sincere condolences to the family and everyone affected by this unfortunate incident. ‘We understand the concern and sadness surrounding what occurred.’ They haven’t issued further commentary as the investigation proceeds. Heehaw loved people, his owner said, and ‘didn’t know a stranger’ (Pictures: Hannah Israel) Hannah spoke fondly of her beloved pet, saying he slept with her in bed for the first few months of his life. ‘Every time he saw somebody, he would run up and bray, and then do a really goofy sound, and because he loved people, and he thought he was a person,’ she said. A photo taken after Hannah found Heehaw’s lifeless body showed her sobbing over his body. She’s started a GoFundMe for legal fees as she looks to lodge a lawsuit against the police department. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Fraudster forced man to live in dirty shed and called him his ‘scrapyard dog’ Arrow MORE: Baby girl was stabbed to death in Sheffield home, police reveal Arrow MORE: Public doesn’t know full story of Idaho murders, Bryan Kohberger’s new lawyer claims Breaking News Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.