Kristi Noem's Execution of a Goat

Few people seem to be much outraged, sad or sickened about her account of killing an "uncastrated" goat. It is unclear just why she had this goat in the first place. It is the unneutered goat though, that she botched her first attempt to kill...because he smelled bad and did regular goat sort of things.

I've been knowing for a long time that goats are mischievous, even though I've rarely been around any. I have always heard that unneutered male goats have an odor that could be described as "rancid", when they are in rut. Having them neutered most always resolves this.

I understand that more people love dogs, and have loved their dogs. The reasons she said she executed a young healthy dog are sickening. That she did it is sickening and sad. So is her execution of a goat, though. and that is rarely mentioned.

Just a ramble, I guess.

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BizSuitStacy · M

I don't condone how she went about it, but you're not telling the whole story. Noem lives on a farm - farmers have farm animals. The goat was aggressive and a danger to her young children at the time, which was 20 years ago. The dog was nuts and very aggressive...it killed neighbors chickens, bit people, etc. She felt the dog should be put down. I'm not wild about how she went about it. Would you still consider these "executions" had she had a vet euthanize them?

Carla · 61-69, F

@BizSuitStacy yes. Why have an intact goat if not for breeding purposes?
She could have given the goat away.

It takes several months to properly train a hunting dog. And training doesn't start until the puppy is several months old. And it takes someone with experience to train one.
At fourteen months that dog was a puppy.
An untrained hunter.
If she didn't want the dog, she should have surrendered it. What she did, she did because that puppy embarrassed her.

BizSuitStacy · M

@Carla

What she did, she did because that puppy embarrassed her.

I know you want to believe that because she's some sort of vicious murderer simply because she's a conservative. But you weren't there, so you don't know the situation with this particular dog. You're making an assumption that re-homing was a valid option. I can tell you from actual experience, that isn't always the case.

My dad was a veterinarian and owned a large clinic with several practitioners. I spent more time handling and treating dogs and cats than 99.9% of the public. It's rare, but there are some animals that are simply wired wrong (just like some people). Not only can they not be trained, they are actually just dangerous. I've seen it. And when you've seen it, you realize euthanasia is the best option.

Now...I never met her dog, so I can't say for sure, but then, neither can you.

Piper · 61-69, F

@BizSuitStacy I don't even know the "whole" story as written by Noem in her book. All I've been able to find are excerpts of her account of executing the dog named Cricket...and the unnamed male goat. I acknowledge that of course some dogs are aggressive, and can't be cured of that behavior. I believe the death sentence for such a dog, should always be the very last resort. It does not sound as if Noem even explored the options available, for the dog she dragged to a gravel pit and killed.

The goat was behaving like an uncastrated male goat. She had many options, glaringly obvious options, other than executing him in a fit anger.

If she had had a vet "euthanize" them, I'd consider the executions at least slightly more humane. Oh...and people who live on farms have farm animals? WOW, who would have thought! 🙄

BizSuitStacy · M

@Piper then why would you write,

It is unclear just why she had this goat in the first place.

Piper · 61-69, F

@BizSuitStacy Because not everyone who lives on a farm, keeps goats. Surely anyone who chose to have a goat or goats, ought to know things about them. Like the fact that uncastrated male goats, especially, tend to do the very things she described when in rut...and have an odor most would describe as quite unpleasant, for instance.