The donkey’s owner contends that officers trespassed onto her property without permission and opened fire on the small donkey after feeling menaced.
Law enforcement officers in Polk County, Georgia, shot and killed a small pet donkey on Sunday. The animal’s owner, distraught by the incident, has pledged to pursue legal action, and reports indicate that one officer has been placed on leave.
Elsberry Riding and Farm, a Rockmart, Georgia-based business that runs pony rides and petting zoos, announced in a Facebook post on Sunday that police entered the property early that morning and came across the farm’s donkey, HeeHaw.
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.
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.
Local news outlet Fox 5 Atlanta reports that Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome said the department has launched an investigation into the shooting and placed an unidentified officer on administrative leave. None of the officers involved have been named.
Hannah Israel, HeeHaw’s owner, has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to hire a lawyer so she can pursue legal action over the incident.
Reason has chronicled for years stories of police officers needlessly shooting dogs, a regrettable pattern that has produced substantial settlements and viral news coverage. Officers are rarely trained to interpret canine behavior or to manage aggressive dogs with non-lethal methods. But shooting a pet donkey is a new development, even for our jaded perspective.
The Polk County Police Department and Cedartown Police Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
@notsure__4 Edit: for anyone wanting to donate to help with fighting for justice I have his go fund me in my bio. Anything is appreciated! HeeHaw needs justice!! His life was cut so so short. If you can please go to our Facebook page (Elsberryfarm) and share heehaws post it would mean ALOT! We are taking legal action now! And he will get his justice! #fypシ゚viral #justiceforheehaw #Blowthisup #minidonkey #plssupport
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