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Georgia police officer shooting of pet donkey

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-06 16:40 UTC → 2026-09-07 13:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On August 30, a Cedartown police officer fatally shot a pet donkey named ‘HeeHaw’ during a search for a missing 12-year-old girl in Polk County, Georgia. The missing child was eventually located safely at a nearby church. Police reports state the officer shot the animal because he felt threatened and believed the donkey was about to charge the search team, following an unsuccessful attempt to use a Taser. However, the donkey’s owner, Hannah Israel of Elsberry Riding and Farm, disputes this account. She stated that officers entered the pasture without permission and that the animal, which she described as a gentle creature raised by hand, was simply braying in reaction to strangers. Officer Trenton Garner has since provided an incident report detailing the event. Garner stated that while officers were following a trail, horses in the area became spooked. He reported that a K-9 handler identified a donkey on a nearby hill that began charging at the officers. After a Taser failed to deter the animal, Garner claimed he drew his department-issued Glock 17 and fired a single round to protect the K-9 handler and the bloodhound team. He noted the donkey ran up a hill before collapsing. Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome confirmed the involved officer has been placed on administrative leave. The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s law enforcement division has launched an independent investigation into the incident, which includes a review of body camera footage.

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