Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, whose prospects of being Donald Trump’s running mate were widely questioned after she recounted a story of shooting a dog and a goat, dismissed reports of the incident as “fake news.” She justified her actions by claiming that the dog, Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, was “extremely dangerous” and warranted her decision.
“You know how the fake news works,” Noem told Fox News. “They leave out some or most of the facts of a story, they put the worst spin on it. And that’s what’s happened in this case.
“I hope people really do buy this book and they find out the truth of the story because the truth of the story is that this was a working dog and it was not a puppy. It was a dog that was extremely dangerous.”
The Guardian initially brought attention to Noem’s narrative, which is featured in her forthcoming book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong With Politics and How We Move America Forward.” In the book, Noem argues that her account of euthanizing a dog and a goat showcases her readiness to tackle challenging situations in both politics and on her South Dakota farm – a defense she reiterated in a subsequent Fox News interview.
According to Noem, Cricket disrupted a pheasant hunt and killed a neighbor’s chickens, all while exhibiting “pure joy.” Noem recounted putting down Cricket in a gravel pit and then proceeding to shoot the goat, which she described as “nasty and mean” and a menace to her children.
During her Fox News appearance, Noem omitted mentioning the goat. Regarding Cricket, she stated, “It had come to us from a family who had found her way too aggressive. We were her second chance, and the day she was put down was a day that she massacred livestock that were part of our neighbors. She attacked me, and it was a hard decision.”
Reiterating her claim that the incident underscores her ability to make tough decisions, Noem cited her handling of the COVID pandemic, emphasizing her state’s open approach despite facing criticism from the media.
During the interview, Sean Hannity attempted to draw parallels between Noem’s decision to euthanize Cricket and the case of Commander, Joe Biden’s German Shepherd, who was sent away from the White House after multiple biting incidents.
A review of South Dakota state law by The Guardian suggests that Noem could have potentially violated regulations by failing to control Cricket during the chicken attack and by subsequently euthanizing the dog on her property.
Noem also disclosed her recent decision to euthanize three elderly horses on her farm, sharing images of the process, including one of a horse standing in a freshly dug pit.
In her book, titled “Bad Day to be a Goat,” Noem recounts the incident of shooting Cricket and the unnamed goat, depicting the arrival of a school bus and the appearance of her daughter, Kennedy, who, according to Noem’s account, would have been approximately seven years old at the time.
