Owner: 'Trespassing' Cops Killed My Baby Donkey

A late-night search of a Georgia farm ended with a police officer on leave and a donkey named HeeHaw dead. Authorities in Cedartown say an unnamed officer has been placed on administrative leave while they investigate the Sunday shooting in Polk County, Fox 45 reports. Hannah Israel says officers searching for a missing person entered her pasture without permission or warning at around 12:45am Sunday and shot her donkey, reports WSB-TV.

• "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," Israel wrote in a Facebook post. "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!"

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said its deputies were not involved, pointing instead to the Cedartown and Polk County police departments. The sheriff's office offered condolences over the "unfortunate incident, adding, "We understand the concern and sadness surrounding what occurred." Officials have not explained why the small male donkey was considered a threat. Israel has launched a GoFundMe to cover anticipated legal costs. "My bottle baby donkey 'HeeHaw' was killed in his own pasture on Saturday night by trespassing cops," she wrote.