Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) has defended her decision to kill her dog Cricket, which has caused major controversy ahead of the release of her new book.
Noem’s new book includes a story of how she put down her 14-month-old puppy due to the dog killing a local family’s chickens after a pheasant hunting trip and biting her when she tried to stop it. The South Dakota governor explained on social media that the book that details this story is filled with “many honest stories of my life,” including the good and bad days she has experienced and the lessons she has learned from them.
“The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down,” Noem wrote on X. “Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did.”
Noem added that she was being a responsible neighbor and dog owner by deciding to put down Cricket, and that she has never given her responsibilities to other people, even when said responsibilities are difficult to carry out.
“As I explained in the book, it wasn’t easy,” Noem wrote. “But often the easy way isn’t the right way.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The story of Noem’s dog in the book has sparked controversy online. Several Democratic governors, including Govs. Tim Walz (D-MN), Gavin Newsom (D-CA), and Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) took to social media to poke fun at Noem, all of whom posted photos of their dogs.
Noem’s new book, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward, releases on May 7, and details how the Republican Party can navigate the future of the United States going forward. Former President Donald Trump has given his praise of the book, describing it as a “winner.”
