If Kristi Noem has a PR agent, that person is about to have a very bad day. The controversial U.S. Department of Homeland Security secretary posted two photos to X, formerly known as Twitter, about drug-sniffing dogs who were hard at work keeping their fellow police officers safe. This is a red flag because the former governor of South Dakota has gone on record to say she murdered a dog in cold blood. Her own dog, to be exact.

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Our CBP K-9s are on the front lines of finding deadly drugs, smuggled humans, and keeping our law enforcement safe. pic.twitter.com/a8J1KF7A9V

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 17, 2025

In Noem’s book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” she discussed taking her barely-a-year-old dog named Cricket on a hunting trip. In true puppy form, Cricket was running wild and not responding well to her training. Unfortunately, Cricket, who clearly didn’t have a career as a professional pheasant hunter, got away from Noem and ended up killing some nearby people’s chickens. After biting Noem when she went to grab the dog, the future Trump Cabinet member realized she despised Cricket, calling her “untrainable,” “dangerous to anyone she came in contact with,” and “less than worthless … as a hunting dog” (via The Guardian). She then decided to end Cricket’s life.

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Noem, a mother of three, took the family dog to a pit and shot her to death. “It was not a pleasant job,” Noem wrote in her book, “but it had to be done.” Unsurprisingly, people on X were quick to comment about Noem’s photos that featured her with dogs — and their responses didn’t hold back.

As you can imagine, the replies on X were ruthless and immediately went for the jugular. “Hope you didn’t shoot any dogs during this cosplay photoshoot,” tweeted one person. “Brave move posting about dogs,” wrote another. Many people facetiously urged the dogs to run away from Kristi Noem, that they weren’t safe in her presence based on her track record. Others flat-out told the Homeland Security secretary not to shoot the canines.

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Several comments missed the irony of Noem supporting the K-9 unit, with users on X praising the dogs and, by association, Noem herself. “Dogs are amazing and these K-9’s are top notch!! God protect these officers,” someone tweeted. “Good work Kristi!” cheered another.

If someone shoots a dog for no reason, it’s safe to assume they aren’t a huge dog lover. It’s been theorized President Donald Trump also isn’t the biggest fan of puppers, since, during his first term, Donald was the first president in over 100 years not to have a dog. His daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, asked him to get a dog, but he never did. Even Donald’s ex-wife, Ivana Trump, said he didn’t like man’s best friend. “Donald was not a dog fan,” Ivana wrote in her memoir, “Raising Trump: Family Values from America’s First Mother.” So, this could be why Donald had no issues hiring Noem for her Cabinet role, despite her horrific act.

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