@c5news: The latest police shooting scandal to rock America involves a donkey called HeeHaw. A policeman has been stood down after shooting a pet donkey called HeeHaw after it supposedly approached him while braying. Cedartown police, in Georgia, were searching for a missing child when the incident unfolded in Polk County, at 12.45am on Sunday. HeeHaw’s owner, Hannah Israel, said her small male donkey emerged braying at the presence of strangers at Elsberry farm in Rockmart and was shot dead by an officer who claimed he felt under threat. Police had reportedly already tried to Taser HeeHaw. Following a public outcry, the officer was placed on leave and an inquiry launched by the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement. Ms Israel said she was “heartbroken” and “traumatised by the loss of my beautiful HeeHaw. He wasn’t ‘just a donkey’. He was a baby I bottle-raised, loved, and cared for every single day. “HeeHaw was such a sweet soul and would never do anything to hurt anyone! His life was cut so very short. We will get HeeHaw justice.” Following a public outcry, Cedartown Police Chief Newsome said: “It is with a heavy heart that I report a Cedartown police officer shot and killed a donkey that was in its own pasture. “I cannot imagine the grief and frustration that the tragic loss of HeeHaw has caused, but I want our community to know what we are doing now.” An online fundraiser has since been launched to support legal action over Heehaw’s death. By Wednesday afternoon, $118,729 (£88,093). The fundraiser reads: “My bottle baby donkey ‘HeeHaw’ was killed in his own pasture on Saturday night by trespassing cops. He was a loved member of our family and did many petting zoos and made many people smile. “We will be using any donations left for the farm, care of the animals, a fund for making a HeeHaw foundation and none of it for our personal needs. This is not a pay day for us.” The missing child was later found at a church near the pasture where HeeHaw lived.

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Wednesday 02 September 2026 13:15:22 GMT