Politicians and dog experts are criticizing South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem after she wrote in a new book about killing a rambunctious puppy. The story — and the vilification she received on social media — has some wondering whether she’s still a viable potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Experts who work with hunting dogs like Noem’s said she should have trained — not killed — the pup, or found other options if the dog was out of control.
Noem has tried to reframe the story from two decades ago as an example of her willingness to make tough decisions. She wrote on social media that the 14-month-old wirehaired pointer named Cricket had shown aggressive behavior by biting.
“As I explained in the book, it wasn’t easy,” she said on X. “But often the easy way isn’t the right way.”
Still, Democrats and even some conservatives have been critical.
It’s like someone watched Ol’ Yeller and completely missed the point that he got rabbies and that he was shot because he wasn’t trained.
The dog did exactly what she trained it to do. She was training it to hunt pheasants and she shot it for attacking her friend’s chickens.
I was talking about Ol’ Yeller, but yeah that lady is just a bad dog owner.
Well, she was a bad dog owner…