Pet Donkey HeeHaw Shot and Killed by Georgia Officer During Missing-Person Search

A Georgia family is mourning the loss of their pet donkey after a police officer fatally shot the animal while searching for a missing person.

The donkey, HeeHaw, was a young pet belonging to a family in the Cedartown/Polk County area of Georgia.

The incident happened at approximately 12:45 a.m. on August 30, 2026, when police officers entered the family’s pasture while conducting a search for a missing person.

Family Says HeeHaw Was Friendly

According to owner Hannah Israel, HeeHaw ran toward the officers after noticing the unfamiliar people in the pasture and began braying loudly.

The family alleges that officers first attempted to use a Taser on the donkey. An officer then fired a gun, killing HeeHaw.

Israel and her family have described HeeHaw as a friendly animal and maintain that he did not pose a serious threat.

However, those characterizations come primarily from the family and have not been independently established by investigators.

Officer Placed on Administrative Leave

Police have maintained that the officer felt threatened by the donkey and believed the use of deadly force was necessary.

The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not yet released a final determination regarding whether the officer’s actions were justified.

For the family, however, the incident has already resulted in the heartbreaking loss of a beloved pet during what began as a police search for an unrelated missing person.

Source: 12News