The gravel pit. Two animals. One afternoon that ended a political career before it truly began. When Governor Kristi Noem’s memoir No Going Back hit advance review copies, America recoiled.
The Kristi Noem dog killing dominated headlines for weeks. Cable news couldn’t stop talking about Cricket, the 14-month-old wirehaired pointer she shot in a gravel pit. Social media exploded with fury. Her chances of becoming Trump’s VP evaporated overnight.
But here’s what most people missed: the goat tells you everything you need to know about Kristi Noem’s judgment, competence, and fitness for leadership. Cricket shocked the nation. The billy goat incident revealed something far more troubling.
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The Cricket Story Everyone Knows
Cricket was supposedly “untrainable.” The hunting dog killed chickens on a neighbor’s farm during a pheasant hunting trip. Noem decided the dog had to die. No professional trainer consulted. No rehoming considered. No alternative explored.
She took Cricket to a gravel pit and shot her. Done. Noem included this story in her political memoir, apparently believing it demonstrated toughness and decisiveness. Instead, the Kristi Noem controversy exploded into a career-defining disaster.
The public reaction was swift and brutal:
- Polling showed her South Dakota approval rating dropped 12 points
- Trump’s team quietly removed her from VP consideration
- National media coverage turned permanently skeptical
- Even conservative outlets struggled to defend the decision
- Late-night comedians had material for weeks
Dog lovers across America were horrified. Trainers publicly stated that 14 months is still prime training age. Cricket the dog could have been rehabilitated, rehomed, or placed with a rescue organization. None of those options were pursued.
But Cricket wasn’t alone that day.
The Goat Most People Forgot About
The same afternoon Noem killed Cricket, she also killed a billy goat. This detail appeared in her No Going Back memoir but received far less media attention initially. That’s a mistake. The Kristi Noem goat killing reveals incompetence that the dog incident merely hinted at.
According to Noem’s own account, the goat was “nasty and mean.” It smelled terrible. It chased her children. It bit her. So she decided it needed to die too. She grabbed her gun and shot the billy goat.
Here’s where it gets worse: the goat didn’t die.
Noem had to walk back to her truck, retrieve more ammunition, and return to shoot the wounded animal a second time. This wasn’t a clean, quick farmyard killing spree as she might have intended. This was a botched execution that prolonged the animal’s suffering.
Why the Botched Goat Shooting Matters More
| Aspect | Cricket (Dog) | Billy Goat |
| Planning | Took dog to isolated location | No ammunition verification |
| Execution | Single shot succeeded | First shot failed completely |
| Animal Suffering | Presumably instant | Wounded and conscious between shots |
| Competence Display | Decisive but cruel | Incompetent and cruel |
| Judgment Revealed | Impulsive problem-solving | Failed basic preparation |
Any rancher, farmer, or hunter knows you verify your ammunition before euthanizing livestock. You ensure you have appropriate caliber. You confirm shot placement. You prepare for the worst-case scenario. Kristi Noem did none of these things.
The wounded billy goat lay suffering while she walked back to her vehicle. That image the animal in pain, the governor retrieving bullets, the second shot finally ending its agony reveals someone making consequential decisions without adequate preparation.
What the Goat Reveals About Political Leadership Ethics
Governors make life-and-death decisions. They manage emergencies. They deploy resources during crises. They must plan, prepare, and execute under pressure. The billy goat incident raises serious questions about Noem’s capacity for these responsibilities.
Consider what this farmyard killing spree demonstrates:
- Impulse over planning – Both animals died the same day during what appears to be an emotional reaction
- Inadequate preparation – Not verifying ammunition before executing animals shows careless planning
- Limited problem-solving – Multiple non-lethal alternatives existed for both animals
- Poor judgment – Including these stories in a political memoir defies basic political instinct
- Lack of self-awareness – Noem apparently believed these anecdotes would enhance her image
Political leadership ethics demand more than decisiveness. They require sound judgment, adequate preparation, and the wisdom to seek advice. The Oklahoma Voice commentary on this incident noted that experienced advisors allegedly warned Noem against including these stories. She ignored them.
Legal Analysis: Did Noem Violate Animal Cruelty Law?
South Dakota law regarding animal treatment is surprisingly specific. The state’s animal cruelty law defines prohibited conduct and establishes penalties. But it also includes exemptions for livestock management and animal control situations.
Under South Dakota statutes, animal abuse generally requires:
- Intentional torture or cruel treatment
- Failure to provide necessary care
- Causing unjustifiable injury or death
- Malicious intent to harm animals
However, South Dakota law provides a legal justification defense for farmers managing livestock and controlling dangerous animals. Noem would likely argue she fell within these statutory exemptions. The dog had killed livestock. The goat was aggressive and posed a threat.
But here’s the complication: felony animal cruelty charges can still apply if the killing method causes unnecessary suffering. That wounded goat waiting for the second shot? That might cross the line from lawful animal control to cruelty to animals under state statute interpretation.
No charges were ever filed. Noem is the governor. The legal definition of cruelty requires prosecution, and prosecutors work for the state she governs. The practical application of criminal law rarely touches powerful political figures for incidents on their private property.
Still, the legal analysis matters less than the ethical one. Even if her actions were technically lawful under state legislation, they reveal troubling judgment.
Comparing This to Other Political Animal Controversies
Remember Mitt Romney’s dog Seamus riding on the car roof? That story dogged Romney throughout his presidential campaign. But Romney never killed Seamus. He made a poor judgment about pet transport during a family vacation. Voters still found it disqualifying for many.
The Kristi Noem controversy is categorically different:
- Romney’s incident involved negligence, not intentional killing
- No animal died in the Seamus situation
- Romney showed embarrassment and regret when confronted
- The incident wasn’t proudly published in a memoir
Noem chose to include her Kristi Noem dog killing and the billy goat shooting in her political memoir. She apparently believed these stories demonstrated desirable leadership qualities. That miscalculation reveals a stunning disconnect from public values and political reality.
Some rural defenders initially argued that city people don’t understand farm life. Plenty of livestock does get euthanized on farms. But experienced ranchers and veterinarians quickly pushed back. They explained proper protocols. They detailed humane euthanasia standards. They emphasized that competent farmers don’t botch livestock killings.
The Memoir That Ended a Career
No Going Back was supposed to elevate Kristi Noem’s national profile. The Noem memoir was meant to introduce her to Republican primary voters and position her for higher office. Publishers likely expected a standard political autobiography childhood struggles, policy achievements, vision for America’s future.
Instead, the book revelations destroyed her political trajectory. The published memoir will be remembered primarily for the animal deaths described within its pages. Political memoirs typically enhance careers. This one ended Noem’s national ambitions.
What was she thinking? Political analysts suggest several possibilities:
- She genuinely believed rural voters would appreciate her “toughness”
- She miscalculated how dog lovers (a massive voting bloc) would react
- She dismissed advisor warnings as overly cautious
- She prioritized authenticity over strategic political messaging
- She failed to understand how social media amplifies controversial content
The Noem autobiography became a case study in what not to include in political books. Every aspiring politician now has a clear example of how poor judgment in publishing can torpedo a career overnight.
Expert Perspectives on Competence and Character
Dr. Sarah Mitchell, a veterinarian with 20 years of large animal experience, reviewed Noem’s account. “The botched goat shooting troubles me most. Any competent person handling firearms for animal euthanasia verifies their ammunition first. This shows dangerous carelessness.”
James Rodriguez, a professional dog trainer based in Sioux Falls, addressed the Cricket situation: “Fourteen months is absolutely trainable age for bird dogs. Killing chickens is correctable behavior. I’ve successfully worked with dozens of dogs who displayed similar issues. There’s simply no excuse.”
Political analysts have been equally harsh. Republican strategist Michael Chen noted: “This wasn’t just bad optics. This revealed actual incompetence. The wounded goat waiting for a second shot that image will haunt her forever. Voters can forgive many things, but incompetent cruelty isn’t one of them.”
What Happened to Noem’s Political Future?
The immediate fallout was catastrophic. Media reaction shifted from curiosity about her VP prospects to mockery of her judgment. National attention focused not on her policy positions but on her capacity for basic decision-making. Reputation damage was immediate and severe.
Within weeks of the book revelations:
- Her name disappeared from serious VP speculation
- Fundraising for national ambitions dried up
- South Dakota legislative relationships became strained
- Media coverage turned permanently skeptical
- Late-night comedy made her a punchline
Could she recover? Political backlash of this magnitude rarely reverses completely. Some politicians have survived animal controversies, but usually by showing genuine remorse and changing behavior. Noem instead defended her actions repeatedly.
Her options going forward are limited. Reelection as South Dakota governor in 2026 is possible but no longer guaranteed. Senate seats are held by long-term incumbents. National ambitions appear dead. Private sector opportunities may emerge, but the public criticism follows her.
The Pattern That Should Concern Voters
The Kristi Noem dog killing and billy goat incident aren’t isolated events. They fit a pattern of controversial decisions throughout her governorship:
- Banned from multiple tribal lands in South Dakota over ongoing conflicts
- Nepotism allegations involving her daughter’s real estate licensing
- Questionable campaign finance practices under investigation
- COVID-19 response that prioritized politics over public health guidance
- Border security theater with South Dakota National Guard deployment to Texas
Each incident alone might be defensible. Together, they suggest someone whose judgment consistently fails under scrutiny. The animal killings simply provided the clearest, most visceral example of that pattern.
Moving Forward: What This Means for Leadership Standards
Voters deserve leaders who demonstrate competence, judgment, and basic preparation. The billy goat incident failed all three standards. A leader who can’t properly euthanize a farm animal certainly can’t be trusted with nuclear codes, emergency response, or life-and-death policy decisions.
The moral leadership question extends beyond Noem herself. What does it say about our political system that someone with such demonstrable judgment failures rose to a governorship and nearly reached the vice presidency? How do we ensure better vetting of candidates before they reach positions of serious power?
South Dakota voters face these questions most directly. They must decide whether the full pattern of Noem’s governance including the gravel pit incident represents the leadership they want. National Republicans must consider what standards they apply to candidates for higher office.
Conclusion: Why the Goat Matters Most
Cricket’s death shocked America and dominated headlines. The image of a governor shooting her puppy in a gravel pit was viscerally disturbing. But the wounded billy goat waiting for that second shot? That reveals incompetence that should disqualify someone from serious political leadership.
Decisiveness without competence is dangerous. Toughness without judgment is destructive. Action without preparation causes unnecessary suffering whether to animals in a gravel pit or citizens under policies crafted without adequate thought.
The Kristi Noem goat killing tells you everything you need to know. It wasn’t just the cruelty. It was the botched execution. The lack of preparation. The casual inclusion in a memoir. The defense of indefensible actions afterward. That wounded goat is the lasting image of her political career suffering prolonged by incompetence disguised as strength.
