South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Defends Killing Pet Dog

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem defended her decision to kill her pet dog named Cricket, an incident for which she's received widespread criticism, by calling her actions "responsible" and legal. "The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did," Noem wrote in a Twitter post on Sunday.

Details about the killing were revealed in her upcoming memoir "No Going Back" and shared by the British newspaper The Guardian. According to the book review, Noem considered the 14-month-old dog Cricket as untrainable and useless as a pheasant-hunting dog. After spoiling a hunt, Cricket attacked some chickens at Noem's friend's house, which led to Noem having to apologize and pay for the dead chickens.

Following the chicken incident, Noem said she decided to kill the dog. She said she "hated" Cricket and called it "less than worthless ... as a hunting dog." So she "dragged" Cricket to a gravel pit and shot it (and a goat, which she considered "nasty and mean") in front of a construction crew. Immediately afterward, Noem's daughter arrived home from school, looked around, and asked, "Hey, where's Cricket?"

Although Noem said she shared the story to demonstrate her ability to make tough choices, critics on both sides of the political aisle, even the extreme ends, have condemned her for both killing the dog and sharing the story.

John Nolte, a columnist for the far-right website Breitbart, said she "committed the most astounding act of political suicide." In his column, he writes: "Admitting you shot a 14-month-old dog for acting like a 14-month-old dog in a political book meant to boost your national profile is unforgivable. All Noem has proven is that she is too tone-deaf and lacking in political judgment to be on the national stage."

Colleen O'Brien, senior vice president of media relations at PETA, described Noem as "obviously" failing "to understand the vital political concepts of education, cooperation, compromise, and compassion." In a statement, O'Brien said: "Most Americans love their dogs, and we suspect that they'll consider Gov. Noem a psychotic loony for letting this rambunctious puppy loose on chickens and then punishing her by deciding to personally blow her brains out rather than attempting to train her or find a more responsible guardian who could provide her with a proper home."

Cricket was a "wirehair pointer," a breed that the American Kennel Club describes as a "versatile, sturdy gundog who thrives on outdoor activity." Experts told the Associated Press that such dogs at 14 months are still considered puppies. They added that the breed typically takes three to five years to train and they are not physically mature until about two years of age.

In a statement, the board of the National German Wirehaired Pointer Rescue said they "strongly condemn" Noem's actions. "The decision to kill a trusting young dog in such a manner shows lack of judgement, ignorance and cruelty," they said, adding that "Sporting breeds are bred with bird/hunting instincts but it takes training and effort to have a working field dog."

Many speculate that Noem shared the story in an attempt to increase her standing for a potential Republican vice president nomination by the Trump campaign. According to reports, Noem was a contender and leading favorite by former President Trump.

The theory, according to reports, is that Trump "hates" dogs. Although the former president has never explicitly said he hates dogs, he famously declined to have one in the White House. Trump became the third president in U.S. history who did not have a presidential pet.

Additionally, many point out that Trump often uses the term "dog" as a criticism or insult when he comments on political enemies or American adversaries. He also reportedly didn't like dogs in his personal life. In January, Trump endorsed Noem's new book, calling it "a hard-hitting story of a very interesting life."

Article updated at 3:54 p.m. Eastern on April 30, 2024