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Cedartown Police Investigate Officer-Involved Shooting of Miniature Donkey HeeHaw
The officer is on paid leave as state investigators review body camera video and the use of force during the missing-child search.
- On Sunday, August 30, 2026, Cedartown Police Officer Trenton Garner shot and killed HeeHaw, a one-year-old miniature donkey, while assisting in a search for a missing child on private property in Polk County.
- Garner reported the donkey charged toward officers, prompting a Taser deployment before he fired; owner Hannah Israel disputes this, saying the animal was friendly and merely alerted to strangers entering the pasture.
- Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome placed the officer on paid administrative leave and transferred the investigation to the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Law Enforcement Division for an independent state-led probe.
- Israel hired an attorney and launched a GoFundMe campaign with a $170,000 goal, which had raised over $90,000 as of Sunday to cover legal fees and farm expenses.
- The incident has drawn national attention, prompting broader debate over police training and animal-handling policies. Georgia authorities continue reviewing whether the officer's actions were justified.
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102 Articles
102 Articles
The IndependentReposted by 
The Independent (US)
The Independent (US)Georgia cop reveals why he shot dead a family’s pet donkey
The officer has been put on administrative leave pending an investigation
·London, United Kingdom
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Georgia cop under fire after gunning down family’s beloved baby donkey HeeHaw
A Georgia police officer who gunned down a family’s beloved pet donkey has been placed on leave after the shooting made national headlines, sparking outrage. The unfortunate […]
·West Palm Beach, United States
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Georgia donkey case draws national attention
A Georgia community is awaiting answers after a police officer fatally shot a young donkey while helping search for a missing 12-year-old girl, an incident that has prompted an independent investigation and generated widespread public attention. The donkey, a 1-year-old named HeeHaw, was killed during an overnight search operation at Elsberry Riding and Farm in Polk County, CBS News said.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources102
Leaning Left11Leaning Right15Center59Last UpdatedBias Distribution69% Center
Bias Distribution
- 69% of the sources are Center
69% Center
13%
C 69%
R 18%
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