A Georgia community is still waiting for answers after a police officer fatally shot a 1-year-old donkey while helping search for a missing 12-year-old girl.

The incident happened overnight at Elsberry Riding and Farm in Polk County and has since sparked an independent investigation and widespread public attention.

Officer says the donkey approached the search team

According to the incident report, officers entered a pasture shortly before 1 a.m. while following clues in the search for the missing child.

Officer Trenton Garner of the Cedartown Police Department said search teams were following a trail when they entered the area and encountered livestock.

Garner reported that several horses became alarmed as officers moved along a fence line. He then saw a donkey, later identified as HeeHaw, approach the group and move toward them.

A K-9 handler reportedly tried to stop the animal with a Taser. Garner said the Taser did not stop HeeHaw’s approach, leading him to fire his service weapon.

The officer fired one shot, according to the report. HeeHaw ran up a nearby hill before collapsing.

Garner later notified his supervisors and said he believed shooting the donkey was necessary to protect the members of the search team.

The missing girl was eventually found safely near a church in the area. Officials said she had not yet been located when officers encountered HeeHaw.

HeeHaw’s owner gives a very different account

HeeHaw’s owner, Hannah Israel, has strongly disputed the police account.

Israel said the young donkey was friendly, used to being around people and had even taken part in petting-zoo events at the farm. She said HeeHaw regularly approached visitors and had never shown aggressive behavior toward people.

She also questioned why officers entered the pasture without notifying her.

In interviews and social-media posts, Israel described HeeHaw as a beloved family companion she had bottle-raised from infancy. She has questioned whether the shooting was necessary and has called for answers and accountability.

Several days after HeeHaw’s death, Israel shared a video recorded before the shooting. The footage shows the donkey running toward her and looking for affection.

The emotional video quickly spread online, drawing widespread attention to the case and support for Israel and her family.

Independent investigation is now underway

Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsom called HeeHaw’s death tragic and confirmed that the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division is conducting an independent investigation.

Newsom also confirmed that body-camera footage from the incident exists. He said the police department will fully cooperate with state investigators as they review what happened.

Garner has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.

State officials have not said when the investigation will be completed or whether Garner could face any additional action.

HeeHaw’s family says the loss will last for generations

For Israel and her family, the case is about more than whether police followed proper procedures that night.

Israel said she expected HeeHaw to remain part of her life for many years. She had imagined future generations of her family growing up around the donkey.

Instead, the family has lost a young animal they considered part of their home, while questions about the shooting remain unanswered.

The independent investigation is expected to help determine what happened that night and whether the officer’s decision to shoot HeeHaw was justified.