South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem shared a story in her recently released memoir, where she told of her experience killing 14-month-old puppy Cricket.
Now, the Republican faces further criticism, after suggesting that Joe Biden's German Shepherd Commander should face the same fate.
A shocking confession
Kristi Noem's confession tells of 14-month-old German Wirehaired Pointer Cricket, who came to her as a hunting dog from another family.
After an unsuccessful hunt, the excited puppy attacked a group of chickens, before she "whipped around to bite me", Noem recalls in her book No Going Back. It was at this point she decided the dog had to be put down, leading her to a gravel pit and shooting her herself.
Despite widespread backlash over her actions, the Governor took to CBS's morning show Face The Nation to explain her take on the story. "I made a difficult choice. Would you make a choice between your children and a dangerous animal? I think I would ask everybody in the country to put themselves in that situation".
The same fate for Commander
Noem showed no remorse for her actions during the interview, even going on to draw comparisons between Cricket and Joe Biden's dog Commander.
At the end of the book, which has been endorsed by Donald Trump, Noem explains that the first thing she would do if she got to The White House, is make sure Commander is nowhere on the grounds.
"Are you doing this to look tough?", asks interviewer Margaret Brennan on Face The Nation. "Joe Biden's dog has attacked 24 secret service", claims Noem. "How many people is enough people to be attacked and dangerously hurt before you make a decision on a dog".
Noem later confirmed that despite the criticism she has received, she will not be retracting the book, and that she still hopes for a chance as vice president.
