Noem dog shooting triggers dog lovers convention in Congress

Call them Paw-cus.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers launched the Congressional Dog Lovers Caucus on Thursday — less than a week after South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s killing of her dog disgusted Democrats and Republicans alike.

“Dogs are the only thing in the world that loves you more than itself. Their joie de vivre unites Americans from all walks of life and can help nurture bipartisanship in Congress,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida) said in a statement.

“Given the recent news related to dogs, it is clear that both sides of the aisle reject animal cruelty and support the protection of man’s best friend.”

Moskowitz, alongside Reps. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) and Nancy Mace (RS.C.), said they launched the Congressional Dog Lovers Caucus to share their love of dogs and their companionship and find bipartisan common ground in Congress.

“We started this caucus to advocate for legislation that protects the rights and well-being of dogs, ensuring they receive the care, respect and recognition they deserve,” Mace said in a statement.

Noem, the Republican governor — and former member of Congress — came under fire last week for an excerpt from her upcoming memoir in which she describes shooting her 14-month-old puppy Cricket for bad behavior.

Noem claimed the little dog was “untrainable” after attacking livestock, so she shot Cricket in a gravel pit.

Noem’s growing popularity in the Republican Party appears to put her on former President Donald Trump’s list of vice presidential candidates.

But the recent puppy-killing scandal could now put her chances in jeopardy, especially as fellow Republicans express their disgust at Noem’s decision. She responded to the backlash. saying, “Difficult decisions like this happen all the time on a farm.”

Moskowitz was one of several lawmakers who intervened instantly.

Five days before the start of the caucus, Moskowitz – a freshman Democrat famous for his online trolling – posted an infomercial-style video mocking Noem with the caption: “For just $0.10 a day you can help us save Kristi Noem’s puppy.”

This story originally appeared on Politico.com read the full story