A Cedartown police officer has been placed on administrative leave after shooting and killing a pet donkey during an overnight search for a missing 12-year-old girl in Polk County, Georgia.
The animal, named HeeHaw, was killed at Elsberry Riding and Farm near Rockmart at about 12.45am on Sunday, August 30. The child was later found safely at a church close to the pasture, according to local reports. ([fox5atlanta.com](https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/donkey-shot-killed-polk-county-cedartown-police-officer-leave))
Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome said the officer involved had not been identified publicly and was on administrative leave while the circumstances were investigated. The case has been referred to the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division for an independent review. ([fox5atlanta.com](https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/donkey-shot-killed-polk-county-cedartown-police-officer-leave))
Newsome said his department had been assisting Polk County Police with the search. “That was a beloved animal, and it breaks my heart. I wish it had not have happened,” he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ([feeds.ajc.com](https://feeds.ajc.com/news/2026/08/georgia-farm-owner-wants-justice-after-pet-donkey-heehaw-killed-by-police/?utm_source=openai))
Hannah Israel, who owns the farm, said officers entered the pasture without permission or warning. A statement posted by Elsberry Riding and Farm alleged that HeeHaw ran towards the officers while braying, that they tried to use a Taser and that one officer then shot him.
The allegations have not been independently established. Authorities have not released a detailed account of what happened when officers encountered the donkey, or explained why the animal was considered an immediate threat.
Israel said HeeHaw had been bottle-fed, raised in the house and taken to petting zoos. She said it took her family about 20 minutes to locate his body after officers did not show them where the shooting had occurred.
She has hired a lawyer and is considering civil action. A fundraising appeal set up to help with legal costs said HeeHaw “was a loved member of our family and did many petting zoos and made many people smile”.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office stressed that its deputies were not involved in the shooting. It said the agencies at the scene were the Polk County Police Department and the Cedartown Police Department, adding: “We extend our sincere condolences to the family and everyone affected by this unfortunate incident.” ([fox5atlanta.com](https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/donkey-shot-killed-polk-county-cedartown-police-officer-leave))
The City of Cedartown has declined to release further details while the investigation remains active. The officer’s identity has not been disclosed.
