A Georgia farm owner is heartbroken after claiming police entered her property and fatally shot her baby donkey, HeeHaw. Yes, HeeHaw. The kind of name that sounds like it belongs in the happiest farm story ever.
Instead, this one has turned into a nightmare.
Hannah Israel says in a Facebook post that Polk County police entered her pasture last week without permission. According to her account, officers were allegedly searching for a missing person when things took a shocking turn.
Somehow, the search ended with little HeeHaw being shot and killed, and now Israel wants answers.
She wrote … “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.”
Hannah continued … “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.”
Hannah believes there’s “no way” the shooting was legal and is planning to take action. She’s launched a GoFundMe for her legal fees. The police launched an investigation.
The crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $70K of its $90K goal so far. Hannah says any extra money will go back to her animals’ feed and care.
The case is likely to generate more questions as details emerge.
What happened immediately before the shooting? Did police believe HeeHaw posed a danger? And was there another way to handle the situation?
Those are questions officials will need to answer.
For now, Israel is mourning a tiny donkey who apparently had a very big place in her heart.
HeeHaw may have had a funny name, but to his owner, losing him is anything but funny.
