South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem appears to have confirmed that she killed a family puppy that infuriated her by being “untrainable,” and she claims it only proves how “politically incorrect” she is.
The Republican governor and potential Trump 2024 running mate commented on the uproar over the violent anecdote with her own brief statement on X.
“We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm,” she wrote. “Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years.”
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Hours earlier, The Guardian reported that Noem, in a book set to be published next month, wrote about executing a puppy that she couldn’t get under control, admitting in the book, “I hated that dog.”
She was roundly condemned as a “sadist” and “puppy killer” on social media as news of the story spread. But she seems to be tapping into the controversy to peddle copies of her book, writing on X: “If you want more real, honest, and politically INcorrect stories that’ll have the media gasping, preorder ‘No Going Back.’”
It’s unclear if Noem bothered to read any feedback from animal experts who commented on her killing the 14-month-old dog. Most said a young puppy being “unruly” simply means it hasn’t had enough training yet.
“There’s no rational and plausible excuse for Noem shooting a juvenile dog for normal puppy-like behavior. If she is unable to handle an animal, ask a family member or a neighbor to help. If training and socializing the dog doesn’t work, then give the dog to a more caring family or to a shelter for adoption,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy.
“Raising and caring for a dog takes patience and kindness,” he said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Tens of millions of Americans who know and love dogs have to wonder about a person who expresses hatred for a young female dog and kills her.”
“To me, it’s a lack of guidance by the owner, or training by the owner, or discipline of the owner,” professional hunting dog trainer Dan Lussen told Rolling Stone, adding that there must be “consistency” in the training.
“And it could be an inconvenience to be consistent, or its laziness on the owner’s part.”
