The Guardian obtained a copy of Noem’s soon-to-be released book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.” In it, she tells the story of the ill-fated Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer she was training for pheasant hunting.

On the way home from the hunting trip, Noem writes that she stopped to talk to a family. Cricket got out of Noem’s truck and attacked and killed some of the family’s chickens, then bit the governor.

“At that moment,” Noem writes, “I realized I had to put her down.” She led Cricket to a gravel pit and killed her.

She writes, according to the Guardian, that the tale was included to show her willingness to do anything “difficult, messy and ugly” if it has to be done. But backlash was swift against the Republican governor, who just a month ago drew attention and criticism for posting an infomercial-like video about cosmetic dental surgery she received out-of-state.

    • @disguy_ovahea
      link
      277 months ago

      Not true. She trained it to chase pheasants all day before it attacked the chickens. It did exactly what she trained it to do.

      • Flying Squid
        link
        467 months ago

        In general, they don’t kill their dogs over their failure.

        • @[email protected]OP
          link
          fedilink
          -27 months ago

          True, but they often send them back to where they adopted them from … when shelters are often overflowing.

          • Flying Squid
            link
            287 months ago

            Giving the dog another chance to be adopted is a hell of a lot better than having it follow you to a gravel pit and then killing it.

          • @ickplant
            link
            107 months ago

            Better give the dog a chance. It’s a purebred, she would get adopted.

          • @suction
            link
            57 months ago

            So what’s your point, genius? That we shouldn’t view her how she deserves to be viewed, I.e. a horrible person who shouldn’t be near any kind of grown up profession?

                • @suction
                  link
                  07 months ago

                  I mean yeah if I saw her or one of the other MAGAts dying in a ditch after a car accident, I’d pump my fist and continue on my merry way. Just being honest here.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          -127 months ago

          Not really a distinction worth making when surrendering or adopting out a dog is just a pipeline to Euthanization anyways. This dog bit a human being, killed small animals for sport, it’s far too late to salvage.

          • Flying Squid
            link
            67 months ago

            There are plenty of no kill shelters. This county’s shelter is no kill.

              • Flying Squid
                link
                57 months ago

                The one here is not selective. It serves a county of 100,000 people. The surrounding counties also have no-kill shelters.