Shame on Governor Noem for Killing Pet Puppy

Target: Kristi Noem, Governor of South Dakota

Goal: Take responsibility for the fatal shooting of puppy.

When South Dakota governor Kristi Noem released a new memoir, it was not descriptions of her political career that drew the most attention. Instead, critics—and animal rights advocates—have zeroed in on a passage in which Noem describes killing her pet puppy roughly two decades ago. The dog, a wirehair pointer named Cricket, was only 14 months old when Noem claims she “put her down” by shooting her.

In the book, Noem describes Cricket as “untrainable” and “worthless as a hunting dog.” She also says of the puppy: “I hated that dog.” Noem defended the shooting by claiming that Cricket had “disrupted” a pheasant hunt and had also attacked chickens on a farm.

Critics condemned the callous way Noem described the incident and categorized her actions against a puppy that was still in her developmental stages as horrifying overreach. For example, Noem described the hunt that helped solidify her decision to shoot the puppy in the following terms:  “she went out of her mind with excitement, chasing all those birds and having the time of her life.” These actions sound like typical behavior for a young dog…a dog that was too young to even be trained for hunting purposes.

On the same day that Noem shot Cricket and disposed of her in a gravel pit, she reports that she also shot to death a goat under her care. And, according to Noem’s own account, this goat likely suffered. It was shot once, and when Noem left to retrieve more bullets, the goat was shot again. Animal welfare activists, and even many hunters, have placed the blame for the Cricket shooting on Noem for failing to train her dog properly and then making the animal pay the ultimate price for it. Recent South Dakota law even suggests Noem may have committed an offense.

Despite the protests and the outcry, Noem continues to defend her actions and use this horrible account to score political points. Sign the petition below to demand a public apology from this unapologetic politician.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Governor Noem,

America’s preeminent animal welfare organization condemned you 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.” They went on to say, “Noem obviously fails to understand the vital political concepts of education, cooperation, compromise, and compassion.”

Lest you dismiss these criticisms of your puppy shooting as the agenda of “woke” or “extremist” leaders and political opponents, the outcry from a wide spectrum of Americans on social media has been far greater (as #PuppyKiller demonstrates). Hunters, and your own political allies, have weighed in on your seemingly disturbing actions. As a politician and, more importantly, as a human being, you must recognize the gravity of your actions against another living being.

Please reflect on your behavior, demonstrate genuine remorse via a public apology, and show through your actions that you care about all living beings by helping strengthen South Dakota’s animal welfare laws.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Office of the Governor