If only Cricket had lived to see this.
A group of House members are crossing paw-tisan lines to form a “Dog Lovers Caucus” intended to foster good relations among the men (and women) who adore man’s best friend.
The group’s formation is also an obvious jab at South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who has taken heat over her admission in a forthcoming book that she executed an unruly puppy — 14-month-old Cricket — that Noem says she “hated” in part because its “aggressive personality” made it “untrainable” as a hunting dog.
“Dogs are the only thing on earth that loves you more than they love themselves,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said in a statement.
“Their joy to live brings together Americans from all walks of life and can help nourish bipartisanship in Congress. Given recent dog-related news, it’s evident that both sides of the aisle reject animal cruelty and support protecting man’s best friend.”
Moskowitz is being joined as a founding member of the caucus by Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Susan Wild (D-Pa.)
The informal group is “intended to help its members and staff find common ground and foster bipartisan
cooperation in Congress” and will hold events with members and staff in the coming months, according to a press release.
“While Congress might disagree on everything, we can all agree that dogs are beloved companions, bringing us all so much joy,” Mace said.
“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.”
This isn’t the first time Mace has gone public with her disgust at animal cruelty..
Back in 2021, she penned a letter to then-Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci, assailing him over reports of the government funding medical experiments on dogs.
“Few things unite Americans as much as our love for our dogs,” Wild chimed in Thursday. “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.”
Noem, whose name has been floated as a potential GOP vice presidential candidate, divulged her canine-killing past in, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward” which is set to hit shelves May 7.
“I hated that dog,” Noem recalled of the female wirehaired pointer in an excerpt previewed by The Guardian. “[Cricket was] dangerous to anyone she came in contact with.
The governor described the 14-month-old canine as “less than worthless … as a hunting dog” and “untrainable.”
After realizing, “I had to put her down,” Noem grabbed her gun and directed Cricket to a gravel pit.
“It was not a pleasant job,” she wrote, “but it had to be done. And after it was over, I realised another unpleasant job needed to be done.”
Noem then went over to the “disgusting, musky, rancid” smelling family goat and put the animal down as well.
Sources told The Post this week that the admission appears to have ended Noem’s chances of being picked as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, with one source saying the South Dakota governor has “no shot.”
“It was a dog that was extremely dangerous,” Noem stressed to Fox News’s “Hannity” on Wednesday. “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 went on. “She attacked me. And it was a hard decision.”
The Post reached out to Noem’s office for comment on the caucus.
