Kristi Noem pans even more after offering an apology for killing her dog

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) doubled down after revealing in her new book that she shot her own dog, with her latest comments sparking a second wave of backlash.

“I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old cricket story,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. “The book is filled with many honest stories from my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions and lessons learned.”

She argued that under South Dakota law, dogs that attack and kill livestock can be cracked down on.

“Since Cricket had shown aggressive behavior towards people by biting them, I decided what I would do,” she said. “Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never entrusted my responsibilities to anyone else. Even if it is hard and painful. I followed the law and was a responsible parent, dog owner and neighbor.

“As I explained in the book, it was not easy. But often the simplest solution is not the right one,” she added.

In her new book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong With Politics and How We Move America Forward,” Noem recalls shooting a 14-month-old pointer on her ranch, the Guardian reported Friday after obtaining an advance copy.

Noem, former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate, said she “hated” Cricket, describing the pup as “untrainable,” “dangerous” and “less than worthless … as a hunting dog.”

She said she shot the animal in a gravel pit.

“It was not pleasant work,” she wrote. “But it had to be done.”

She was the subject of strong criticism this weekend over this shocking anecdote.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, shared an image of his dog enjoying a treat on Saturday, with the caption: “Post a photo with your dog without shooting him and throwing him in a gravel pit.” I’m going to start. »

“In New York, we love our puppies,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D-D) tweeted.

Sunday’s lack of apology only fanned the flames.

“If you can’t express sincere regret for blowing out a puppy’s brains, you should just be glad the statute of limitations has expired and keep quiet,” said conservative lawyer George Conway.

Conservative commentator Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), said Noem’s story “is something out of a horror movie.”

“My family owns a ranch outside of Sedona – no one has ever put a dog down for any reason. This is not a ‘rural/ranch’ thing,” she wrote.

See some of the other comments below.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated the dog was 14 years old. The dog was 14 months old.