A Georgia police officer who fatally shot HeeHaw, a young donkey cherished by his owners, said he opened fire because the animal was allegedly charging toward him. The donkey’s devastated owner has since shared a heartbreaking video from the animal’s final days.
Officer Trenton Garner fired a single shot at the 1-year-old donkey after entering a pasture at Elsberry Riding and Farm in Rockmart, Georgia, around 12:45 a.m. Sunday while helping search for a missing 12-year-old girl, according to an incident report reviewed by The Post.
Garner, a Cedartown Police Department officer, was working alongside a K-9 handler and a bloodhound team when they followed a set of footprints into the farm’s petting zoo area and encountered several horses.
“As we were tacking down the fence line, the horses in the pasture spooked and ran back away from us across the pasture,” Garner wrote in the report.
He said the situation escalated moments later when “K-9 Handler Thomasson stated that there was a donkey on the side of the hill. The donkey then began to charge at us.”
According to Garner, who joined the Cedartown Police Department in July 2023, the K-9 handler drew a Taser and pointed it at the donkey, but the stun gun did not work.
“This in fact did not deter the donkey, so I removed my department-issued Glock 17 from its holster and pointed it at the donkey. I then fired a single round striking the donkey,” Garner stated.
After being hit, HeeHaw turned and moved back up the hill before collapsing, the report said.
Garner recalled that he reported the shooting to police and officers spoke with Hannah Israel, HeeHaw’s owner, who “stated that the donkey would never act aggressive towards anyone, nor would it try to bite anyone.”
The missing 12-year-old girl was later found at a church close to the pasture.
Garner has since been put on administrative leave while officials at the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement carry out an independent investigation, Jamie Newsome, the Cedartown Police Chief, revealed in a video.
Meanwhile, Israel has been left incandescent with rage over the shooting.
“Cops entered my pasture searching for a missing person WITHOUT permission or warning and shot and killed my bottle raised BABY donkey,” she wrote online Sunday, vowing to take legal action.
“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.
“We are heartbroken. He was my son.”
Israel shared a harrowing pic of the donkey lying on his side, dead after the tragedy.
On Friday, Israel shared a heartbreaking video of the baby galavanting towards her, which was filmed three days before the animal’s death.
“HeeHaw,” Israel called excitedly.
The donkey emerged from the fields and affectionately rubbed its head against his owner.
“Hi, HeeHaw,” she cooed. “How are you? Good morning. Good morning, HeeHaw.”
“Good morning, baby,” she said before ruffling his mane.
Israel continues to call for answers from law enforcement.
“We’re very traumatized and shocked,” she told Gray News earlier this week.
“He just had his first birthday a couple of months ago.
“He should not be dead. The whole circumstances literally say that HeeHaw shouldn’t have died. And donkeys live to be about 35 to 40 years old.
“Like, I thought I would raise my future kids with HeeHaw, but instead he’s gone. So, it’s very devastating.”
