Social media users expressed shock and disapproval after a story of Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., putting down her own dog because she was deemed “untrainable” went viral on X this week.
British outlet The Guardian published a report on the story Friday, which is an excerpt from her new memoir “No Going Back,” which is set to be released on May 7.
According to the report, Noem wrote that she took her 14-month-old female dog “Cricket” to a “gravel pit” near her farm and shot it dead because it was “less than worthless” and “untrainable.”
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Noem explained to the outlet how the dog had ruined a pheasant hunt, going “out of her mind with excitement, chasing all those birds and having the time of her life.”
The governor also noted that Cricket went AWOL and ate several of the chickens on her farm.
About the killing, Noem’s book reportedly added, “It was not a pleasant job, but it had to be done. And after it was over, I realized another unpleasant job needed to be done.”
Additionally, Noem’s memoir recounted taking a family goat to the gravel pit where it suffered the same fate as Cricket. Noem justified the killing saying the goat was “nasty and mean.”
Taking to the social media platform X, Noem specifically replied to the Guardian story.
“We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years,” the governor admitted.
She also added a plug for her book, stating, “If you want more real, honest, and politically incorrect stories that’ll have the media gasping, preorder ‘No Going Back.’”
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Noem’s post received nearly six million views in only a day, and courted a wave of horrified reactions on the social media platform, even from among her conservative fans.
Perplexed at why she shared the story, independent journalist Tim Pool asked, “did she just intentionally end her career?”
Conservative influencer duo The Hodge Twins remarked, “Telling everybody you shot your young dog and promoting your book at the same time? wtf, this is wild.”
Popular pro-Trump account “Catturd” seemed to take the story personally, posting, “Omg – now my blood is boiling. Remember, I’m a country boy who lives on a ranch . There’s a huge difference between putting an old horse down who is suffering, than shooting a 18 month dog for being untrainable. But then to plug your book at the end.”
“Seriously, is it just me? [I’m[sic] have no words,” he added.
New York Post columnist Miranda Devine commented, “No. Not normal. Shameful.”
“Florida’s Voice News” CEO Brendon Leslie let Noem have it, writing, “Kristi Noem should be criminally charged for animal abuse – this is vile and disgusting. It’s one thing to put a dog down that is sick – it’s totally unacceptable to put a puppy down because it wasn’t a good hunting dog. Put it up for adoption!”
Independent reporter “Publius” made a pun out of the anecdote, posting, “@KristiNoem just SHOT her political career in the head at point blank range. Absolute Psycho. And of course Trump is considering her for VP!”
When asked by Fox News Digital, Noem’s staff had nothing to add beyond Noem’s initial response to The Guardian’s post.
