South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) emphasized her fondness for dogs on Monday, as she tried to protect herself from the criticism and ridicule after it was revealed in a new book that she had shot a misbehaving 14-month-old puppy many years ago.
During an interview on “CBS Mornings” on Monday, Noem continued promoting her new book “No Going Back,” which is set to be published on Tuesday.
She explained in the interview, “This was a dog that, I was its second chance. It had come to me from a family that had found her to be way too aggressive. I was a dog trainer, raised dogs.”
“Oh, I love dogs,” Noem added, when asked. “Yeah, I have a dear dog named Foster right now that goes everywhere with me.”
The governor stressed that it was a tough decision for her to shoot Cricket, the aggressive hunting dog. She also mentioned that the story was already known among close political circles and that she did not want it to be used against her in the future.
For months, Noem has been viewed as a leading candidate to be former President Trump’s running mate in 2024, but some commentators have suggested that the strong negative reaction to the puppy story may have damaged her prospects.
“This book is filled with painful, vulnerable stories. You know, and this story people have known for years, my political opponents have tried to use this story against me in previous campaigns. I wanted people to know the truth. And that’s why I put that in this book,” she said, adding that she killed the dog in a “humane manner.”
“The purpose of telling the story was so that people would know I don’t pass my responsibilities on to anybody else,” Noem said. “It was extremely hard for me and that’s clear when you read the story, that it was it was difficult decision for me. But when you have an animal that you, as a mom, you have to decide: Do I choose the safety of my children over an aggressive animal that attacks people? I chose as a mom for my children.”
