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Jimmy Williams
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem sparked controversy Sunday by suggesting that President Joe Biden’s dog, Commander, should face a fate similar to her own dog Cricket, whom she reportedly shot and killed.
During an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Noem referenced reports that Biden’s German shepherd had attacked multiple Secret Service personnel, questioning how many attacks would be deemed acceptable before taking action against the dog.
Commander had been relocated from the White House after a series of biting incidents last year. In her forthcoming memoir, Noem reportedly expressed her intent to ensure that Biden’s dog was not present if she were to become president.
When pressed by the moderator about whether she meant to imply that Biden’s dog should be shot, Noem responded, “That’s what the president should be accountable to.”
Noem’s account of killing her own dog Cricket is detailed in her upcoming book, where she describes the dog as “less than worthless” and “untrainable.” She justified her decision by citing the dog’s aggressive behavior, including killing a neighbor’s chickens.
In Sunday’s interview, Noem defended her choice, emphasizing that she had to make a difficult decision as a mother. She explained that Cricket was a “working dog” with a history of issues and that she took responsibility for the decision herself.
“I made a difficult choice. I think you’re a mother, too. And you have little kiddos,” Noem said in Sunday’s interview. “Would you make a choice between your children or a dangerous animal? And I think I would ask everybody in the country to put themselves in that situation.”
Asked why she did not take the dog to a shelter instead of killing it, Noem said Cricket was “a working dog” who and “had come from a family that had already had issues with this dog.”
“I didn’t ask somebody else to take that responsibility for me. … I had to make that decision myself,” she added.
Despite facing criticism for her actions, Noem has stood by her decision, maintaining that Cricket was not a puppy and asserting that she made the choice more than 20 years ago.
The Biden campaign has yet to respond to Noem’s comments, and the White House declined to comment on the matter. Noem’s remarks have reignited debate over the handling of aggressive animals and raised questions about accountability in such situations.
