Prosecutors clear officer who shot pet donkey in Georgia

A district attorney in Georgia has ruled that a police officer acted lawfully when he shot a pet donkey dead during a late-night search.

The incident occurred in August in Cedartown, a small community in Polk County. Officers were searching for a missing child when they encountered HeeHaw, a one-year-old donkey, in a pasture. The child was later located at a nearby church.

Officer Trenton Garner fired the shot while assisting local police. The district attorney for the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit, Jaeson Smith, released a report on Monday confirming that Garner’s actions did not warrant animal cruelty charges. Smith cited an investigation by the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division. Witnesses stated that HeeHaw had a history of biting and charging at people. Smith wrote that the officer and a deputy felt an immediate sense of serious bodily harm, making the use of force reasonable to protect others.

Garner was placed on administrative leave during the investigation. Smith stated that a review of all evidence showed the officer’s actions did not sustain criminal liability. The donkey’s owner, Hannah Israel, described the animal as tranquil and harmless. She is now pursuing a federal civil rights lawsuit. Her legal team accuses Garner of conducting an illegal search of her farm and killing the pet wrongfully.

Chris McCormick, Israel’s attorney, issued a statement supporting law enforcement while demanding accountability. He argued that rural officers should understand animals better and claimed there was no universe in which HeeHaw posed a danger. The statement emphasized that the fight for accountability would continue.

Smith noted that threats of violence and death have been directed at individuals involved in the incident, as well as those with no direct involvement. These threats have been referred to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for further investigation.

The ruling closes the criminal review process for the shooting. Israel’s civil case remains pending in federal court.