South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump, is facing backlash after revealing in her upcoming memoir that she shot a 14-month-old dog named Cricket years ago. The governor’s decision to put down the wirehair pointer, which she described as “untrainable” and “dangerous,” has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
In her book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” Noem recounted the events that led to her decision to shoot Cricket.
She wrote that the dog had escaped from her car during a conversation with a local family, killing some of their chickens before attempting to bite the governor herself.
Noem described the shooting, which took place in a gravel pit, as “not a pleasant job, but it had to be done.” The Republican governor also revealed that she had taken a “nasty and mean” goat to the same gravel pit where she put down Cricket. She described the uncastrated animal as “disgusting” and noted that it “loved to chase” her children.
I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back. The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons…
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) April 28, 2024
The revelation has sparked outrage among many, including conservatives. Staunch Trump supporter Laura Loomer posted on X, formerly Twitter, “She can’t be VP now. You can’t shoot your dog and then be VP.” Independent conservative journalist Tim Pool questioned whether Noem had intentionally ended her career with the revelation.
The popular conservative satire website The Babylon Bee posted several headlines referencing the tale, including one that declared, “‘I’m Sorry I Have To Do This,’ Says Kristi Noem After Puppy Playfully Barks At Mailman.”
In response to the criticism, Noem took to X to explain that hard decisions are a part of daily life on a farm, noting that her family recently had to put down three horses they’d had for 25 years. The governor’s decision to share this story in her memoir has undoubtedly sparked a heated debate about the treatment of animals and the consequences of such actions on her political career.
