A pet donkey named Angelique is dead after a hunter's stray bullet struck her at Hasty's Haven, a horse and equine rescue sanctuary in Belton, South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says the hunter told officials he fired at a deer, missed, and the round instead hit the donkey on the Anderson County property.
According to FOX Carolina, SCDNR officers responded to the property after a report of a hunting incident involving Angelique. Officials said the hunter claimed the shooting was accidental, telling investigators his shot missed its intended target before the stray bullet struck the donkey.
Hasty's Haven founder Joann said Angelique's death felt like a nightmare that traumatized her entire team, per the same report. Angelique had lived at the sanctuary for several years alongside three other herd members, after arriving with the group following years spent as a therapy donkey.
A Beloved Herd With a History of Service
Angelique came to Hasty's Haven as part of a surrendered four-donkey group that included herd mates Dani and Willow, according to Hasty's Haven Horse Rescue. The bonded group had previously served as therapy animals before their elderly owner could no longer care for them and placed them into permanent sanctuary care.
Angelique and her herd were previously used as therapy donkeys for special needs children, the FOX Carolina report notes, and more recently served as event donkeys supporting community education alongside homeschool volunteers. The animals are known for their welcoming, gentle nature, per the same account.
Hasty's Haven itself was founded in 2020 by Joann Kelly and her family as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, established after Kelly moved to South Carolina with a rescued off-the-track thoroughbred named Hasty. The sanctuary at 134 Roger Bolt Road is an equine rescue.
Charges Center on Safety Buffer Around Homes
SCDNR charged the hunter with negligent use of a firearm and with hunting within 300 yards of a residence, according to the FOX Carolina report. State guidance sets a 300-yard restriction for hunting with a firearm from less than 10 feet above ground near a residence, per the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
SCDNR officials said hunters are required to identify their target, assess what lies beyond it, and shoot only in a safe direction.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Hunting Errors
State wildlife officials recorded two hunting-related fatalities in South Carolina in 2025, down from five the year before, a decline associated with education and outreach. Nationally, an analysis of hunting incident data from 2010 through 2024 found that hunter judgment errors account for 42.9% of all hunting accidents, with unintentional firearm discharges making up 34% of reported incidents, according to Ammo.com.
In Dorchester County, a suspect turned himself in during the early hours of October 30, 2024, and was in custody in connection with a fatal shooting near a residential walking trail; the incident may have involved a hunting situation, according to the Post and Courier.
Sanctuary Presses On With Community Programming
Hasty's Haven requests donations to support ongoing care for its animals. The sanctuary continues to integrate with the local Upstate South Carolina community, with a fall Pumpkins and Ponies community day scheduled at the Belton property on October 25.
