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 sounds like it was easy. What’s she call her literal killing grounds, “the gravel pit”? No, ma’am, even though Wu is for the children, no child should be aware of your gravel pit.
That dog was too young from what she expected from it. Her reason does not hold up.
“I tried nothing, and I’m all out of ideas! *cocks gun*” - Kristi Noem
Oh look! More proof that most politicians are either psychopaths or idiots being controlled by a rich psychopath. Who the fuck would think a story about killing a nippy puppy would appeal to the common people jfc. I’ve owned MANY dogs both growing up and as an adult, if you aren’t ready to train a dog, especially a smart breed, don’t bother getting a dog. Go get a cat or a fish or some shit that can’t bite and kill someone.
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…
The dog thing was horrible, But she also shot and killed a goat because it smelled.
Why did the goat smell?
Because she didn’t get it castrated.
She pretends to be a farmer with stories about killing dogs that can’t hunt in goats that smell weird, But an actual farmer would have had the goat castrated if they weren’t planning on breeding it and they absolutely would have just retrained the dog.Also, she didn’t just kill it. She tortured it. She shot it, and it didn’t die. She then walked over to her truck to get another round, walked back, and shot it again.
Her füher would disapprove.
I don’t think you need to be a dog expert. Just have the ability to feel the tiniest amount empathy. This goes way too far for even a lot of Republicans.
Empathy is not a conservative trait.
What’s worse, is the story itself. She took the dog on a pheasant hunt for the day, cheering it on while it chased the pheasants and went for the kills. On the way home, she stopped at a friend’s house where the dog attacked their chickens. She then led the dog to a gravel pit and shot it in the head.
It thought it was being a good dog, doing exactly what she was training it to do.
Goddamn, every time I get more info on this story it just gets worse. I can’t imagine killing an animal that wasn’t a danger or deserved a merciful death.
So when politicians support tons of policies that harm, starve, and needlessly incarcerate millions of living American humans, no big deal, but if one fucking dog gets harmed suddenly we give a shit.
Cool. Our empathy for our fellow man definitely isn’t broken at all.
Inability to be empathetic and kind to animals is a psychopathic trait. People who don’t want to and wouldn’t hurt humans, wouldn’t hurt animals either. But those who want to hurt humans will usually resort to hurting animals because they can get away with it more easily. (especial treatment for small mammals and pets as they are the emotionally closest to us)
Carnists: nervous glance
That’s how it is. Like it or not, people care a hell of a lot more when a dog dies in a movie than when a person dies.
Yeah, but I know none of those people would be my friend while the dog definitely would.
That’s exactly why even a lot of Republicans are disgusted by her. “Fuck people, but my dogs will always love me.”
To be fair, I said “fuck me, I’m a piece of shit but dogs just know I’m the best at scritches”.
Working with a lot of farm/country/redneck people was a culture shock to me. Some of them treat hunting dogs like farm equipment. I have a 16yo dog that’s never been outside unattended for longer than a shower, and that was when he had a privacy fence and bigger dogs to chill with. It took a bit of time for me to have respect for some of them.
People are fucky.
The point isnt human vs dog, its direct vs indirect action. People are a lot more disgusted by murderers than the person that put out the hit.
People kinda suck. I’ve never met a dog I didn’t like. (this is slight sarcasm)
It’s not hard to understand at all. There’s a couple things at work here: first, humans are terrible at connecting emotionally to long term consequences. That’s why a disaster that kills 100 people will always elicit a stronger reaction than a policy that will kill millions.
Another thing happening is how humans subconsciously justify things to themselves. An adult could have “deserved” whatever happened, but there’s no way a puppy did.
I think it’s dogs tickling the same parts of our brains as kids, which would go towards explaining the similar reactions.
I think there’s also the idea that many people have that dogs are loyal and loving no matter what and don’t judge you, unlike all of those awful people out there who obviously deserve what’s coming to them.
“Oh no she killed a dog unnecessarily!”
takes bite of cheeseburger
maybe people would be more ok with it if she ate the dog so their “sacrifice” didn’t “go to waste”?
or maybe it’s time to recognize that animals are morally relevant and we don’t need to eat them to be healthy, so it’s time to stop the unnecessary killing. Even if you don’t give a fuck about other animals (and by logical extension, are fine with this lady killing her dog), but care about the environment, it’s still time to stop
What is it about militant vegans and never being able to stay on topic?
What is a militant vegan? Honest question I have no idea.
Someone who brings their veganism into every discussion.
Really? I thought it was gonna be something like slaughterhouse sabotage or something. I don’t think militant is the right word, maybe diligent haha.
This is a piss poor thread for that argument.
I hope someday she gets to experience the treatment she provided to the animals in her care.
I’d hate to think what would have happened if her children had trouble with potty training.
“Some might think shooting a toddler is cruel, but 3-years-old is way too old to still be in diapers. Hard decisions had to be made, people.”
Yup. Just more and more detail that Republicans have really fucked up morals.
The fact that this immoral dumbass is still trying to defend her complete lack of ability to train or control a dog, and trying to make it as “making hard choices” due to her own utter massive incompetence, is just telling about the mind set of what Republicans look to as moral guidance.
She looks like Evil Sarah Chalke, non sequitur aside.
I doubt the story is real because that sounds like animal abuse. Even in the rural south. You can’t just have people offing farm animals with guns in their neighborhood where construction going on within view. Like, the fuck?!
South Dakota isn’t in the rural south…
She wrote about it herself. Even if it never happened, it shows what she thinks ‘tough’ means.
Exactly! Trump-Noem would mean leadership that murders its opponents and anyone who doesn’t fit in with their vision of a nation.
So you’re saying she made up the story and then put it in her own book? For what reason?
That definitely reads like written by a republiQan
Even if I was heartless enough to kill my own dog I like to think I have the presence of mind to not brag about it afterwards.
Cruelty is the point.
