Lawmakers announce dog lovers caucus in wake of Noem news

Bipartisan lawmakers on Tuesday announced the start of a dog lovers caucus on Capitol Hill in the wake of a story about South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) shooting and killing a family dog.

“In light of recent events, we’re launching the Congressional Dog Lovers Caucus today!” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said in a post on the social platform X. “This group dedicated to man’s best friend aims to foster bipartisan cooperation and will help put paws over politics.”

The post also featured photos of Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Susan Wild (D-Pa.), alongside Moskowitz, each holding a dog.

“While Congress might disagree on everything, we can all agree that dogs are beloved companions, bringing us all so much joy,” Mace said in a press release obtained by The Hill. “We started this caucus to champion legislation that protects the rights and well-being of dogs, ensuring they receive the care, respect, and recognition they deserve.”

Wild also said that “few unite Americans as much as our love for our dogs.”

“In a time of polarization and partisanship, I’m proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle and commit to working on behalf of our pets, who give us so much joy and comfort every day,” Wild said in the press release. 

The caucus announcement follows a whirlwind of controversy Noem has faced over a passage in an upcoming book in which she said she took a family dog to a gravel pit on her property and shot it. Noem, who has called the dog “extremely dangerous,” wrote that it was “not a pleasant job” but “had to be done.”

“It was a dog that was extremely dangerous,” Noem said Wednesday on Fox News’s “Hannity.” “It had come to us from a family who had found her way too aggressive.”

“We were her second chance. And she was — the day she was put down was a day that she massacred livestock that were part of our neighbors’,” she continued. “She attacked me. And it was a hard decision.”

“[I] had a choice between keeping my small children and other people safe, or a dangerous animal, and I chose the safety of my children,” Noem said.

The controversy is ill-timed for Noem, who has seen rising speculation that she could be former President Trump’s choice for a running mate in November. But in the wake of the controversy, many observers think her chances have plummeted.

The Hill has reached out to Noem for comment.