Gov. Kristi Noem cites South Dakota state law in deciding to shoot her dog

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has drawn ire from across the internet thanks to a story in a soon-to-be-released book, in which she recounts shooting a 14-month-old puppy followed by a goat.

In the excerpt from the book, Noem talks about how she hated the dog, Cricket , and describes a failed pheasant hunt in which Cricket chased all the birds away.

On the way home from this hunt, the puppy got loose from Noem’s pickup and attacked a neighbor’s chickens. After the dog reportedly snapped at Noem as she attempted to stop it, she writes that she took it out to a gravel pit on her property and shot it.

This action has drawn much criticism of Noem, a potential pick for a 2024 Vice Presidential candidate, with some going so far as to compare her to Cruella De Ville.

Noem, for her part, has used the controversy to further promote her book, which she says is “filled with many honest stories of my life,” and encouraging people to preorder the book if they “want more real, honest, and politically incorrect stories that’ll have the media gasping.”

The governor has also turned to social media to defend herself for killing Cricket, who she described as untrainable, dangerous and worthless as a hunting dog.

In one recent social media post , Noem expressed that she understands why people are upset about the story, which she said happened 20 years ago. However, “The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down,” she wrote, adding Cricket had shown aggression by biting people.

South Dakota law — specifically SDCL 40-34-1 — states that it is legal for any person to kill a dog that is “found chasing, worrying, injuring, or killing poultry or domestic animals.”

The only caveat to this law, which dates back to February of 1933, is that a person cannot kill a dog if it is on the property of its owner.

KELOLAND News has reached out to the governor’s office, requesting an interview with her on the subject and asking questions about how many people Cricket had bitten, when exactly the shooting took place, and what the thought process was in deciding to put down the dog as opposed to attempting to re-home it.

This story will be updated if any response is received.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.