Netizens are calling for justice after a Cedartown police officer allegedly shot a donkey dead in Polk County on Sunday, August 30. Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome said that command staff launched an investigation into the shooting. The unidentified officer was placed on administrative leave.
Elsberry Riding and Farm posted about the killing of HeeHaw on Facebook.
Elsberry Riding and Farm said in a Facebook post, “Polk county cop KILLED my baby donkey! At 12:45am cops entered my pasture searching for a missing person WITHOUT permission or warning and shot and killed my bottle raised BABY donkey. 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.”
The post added, “HeeHaw was raised in the house and did petting zoos he never knew a stranger. And was shot and killed in his OWN pasture for doing what donkeys do. Alerting to a stranger. There is no way this is legal! I will be taking legal action. Share this everywhere and get justice for HeeHaw. We are heart broken, he was my SON!!”
TMZ identified HeeHaw’s owner as Hannah Israel, a Georgia farm owner.
Netizens call for justice
{{/usCountry}}TMZ identified HeeHaw’s owner as Hannah Israel, a Georgia farm owner.
Netizens call for justice
{{/usCountry}}An X account titled ‘Justice for HeeHaw’ is keeping the beloved donkey’s story alive. A website – JusticeForHeeHaw.com – has also been launched.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has spoken out about the incident, writing on X, “Poor HeeHaw! I can’t imagine how devastated Hannah Israel and her family are over police shooting her baby donkey! Lots of farms in Polk County. People are very upset over this.”
Netizens are calling for justice for HeeHaw.
“A mini donkey. That the officer tased then shot.Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome watched the body-camera video and was asked whether the officer said he feared for his life, and Newsome answered “No.” Justice for Heehaw, the mini donkey,” one user wrote on X.
“This is going to piss you off if you love animals. Justice for HeeHaw!” wrote another.
“Justice for HeeHaw.Only one jackass in this story and it wasn't the one that died,” wrote a user.
One wrote, “this story genuinely fu**** me up. $HeeHaw was a house-raised donkey who ran up and brayed when officers entered the property looking for someone. he was tased, then shot. now people are talking about what happened and asking for answers. whatever your take is, this story deserves attention. let the truth come out. do your own research and read the full story before forming an opinion.”
What the City of Cedartown said
The City of Cedartown said in a Facebook post that “the Cedartown Police Department is aware that a city police officer shot and killed a donkey in the early hours of Sunday morning.” It confirmed that the incident took place while officers were searching for a missing child.
“A Cedartown police officer was on the scene after being called by Polk County Police to assist with a nighttime search for a missing child. The child had not been found at of the time of the shooting. Thankfully, the child was later located at a church near the pasture where the donkey was killed,” it said.
The statement added, “The Cedartown Police Department has turned over the investigation of the animal shooting to the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Division for investigation and placed the officer involved on paid administrative leave while this investigation is ongoing. Because of the nature of this investigation, neither the Cedartown Police Department nor any other city department can comment further on the matter at this time.”
An active investigation is underway.
A GoFundMe has been launched for HeeHaw by its owner.