South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said, “At least I have the guts to look in the eyes of the animal I’m killing!”
Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
No, this isn’t a real statement from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem about killing a dog
In her new book, "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward," South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem recalled shooting a 14-month-old dog with an "aggressive personality" that tried to bite the Republican and dispatched some chickens.
The revelation shocked some dog lovers, but a supposed response from Noem that’s being shared on social media isn’t authentic.
"For everyone who absolutely lost their minds about my decision to shoot a dog twenty years ago, I hope you don’t eat cows or pigs or chickens!" reads what looks like a screenshot of an X post from Noem. "At least I have the guts to look in the eyes of the animal I’m killing!"
A May 8 Threads post sharing this screenshot was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
The alleged statement from Noem veers from the tone of her previous responses to critics.
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
"We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm," she said in an April 26 X post. "Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years."
A couple of days later, she added on X that it was a 20-year-old story. "South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down," Noem said. "Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did."
Featured Fact-check
We found no evidence that Noem made the statement attributed to her in the Threads post. It doesn’t appear on her X account and there was no news coverage of the purported response.
Ian Fury, a spokesperson for Noem, told PolitiFact the governor didn’t make this statement.
We rate this post False.
Our Sources
Threads post, May 8, 2024
Reuters, Fact Check: No evidence of South Dakota Gov. Noem post comparing dog killing to meat eating, May 14, 2024
PolitiFact, Did South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem break the law by shooting her dog? What legal experts say, May 1, 2024
X post, April 26, 2024
X post, April 28, 2024
Email interview with Ian Fury, chief of communications for Gov. Kristi Noem, May 15, 2024
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
No, this isn’t a real statement from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem about killing a dog
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.