During a recent presidential debate, Donald Trump repeated a false claim that illegal immigrants from Haiti were eating domestic pets in Springfield, Ohio. He stated, “In Springfield, they are eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” However, local officials have firmly denied these accusations, saying there have been “no credible reports” of such incidents happening in the city.
The claim had previously gained traction on social media, with Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance promoting it on X, formerly known as Twitter. His post, which echoed these baseless accusations, received over 11 million views. The spread of this misinformation has raised concerns, with US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby labeling Vance’s comments as “dangerous” and accusing them of being rooted in racism.
The origins of this baseless claim can be traced back to several social media accounts supporting Trump. At a city commission meeting on August 27 in Springfield, a local resident, who identified himself as a social media influencer, delivered an anti-Haitian immigrant speech. He claimed that the migrants were slaughtering ducks in public parks and accused local officials of being financially motivated to bring in immigrants. However, he provided no evidence to support these allegations.
The rumor about Haitian immigrants eating pets began spreading on Facebook when a user claimed that a neighbor’s daughter had told them about a cat being killed by the immigrants. Trump further fueled the rumor during the debate, asserting that he had seen “people on television” talking about their pets being taken for food. However, a review of video footage from major news networks, including Fox, CNN, and CBS, conducted by BBC Verify, found no such televised interviews.
The story gained additional attention due to an incident in Canton, Ohio, in late August, where a woman was arrested for killing and eating a cat. Although some right-wing commentators suggested that the woman was Haitian, Canton police confirmed that she was a US citizen, born in 1997, and not of Haitian descent. They also clarified that there have been no reports of Haitian immigrants being involved in similar activities.
Officials in Springfield reiterated that the claims against the Haitian immigrant community are unfounded. The Springfield City Commission confirmed that no credible reports have been made regarding pets being harmed or consumed by immigrants. Despite these denials, the misinformation continued to spread online, with posts on Reddit and other platforms further amplifying the false accusations.
The spread of these baseless claims was further bolstered by conservative media outlets, including The Federalist, which published an article featuring an audio recording of a non-emergency police call about Haitians allegedly carrying geese. However, when BBC Verify contacted the local sheriff’s office, it was confirmed that these claims were not substantiated.
Memes referencing the false claims have also gone viral, with notable figures like Elon Musk sharing them. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, along with official Republican social media accounts, shared posts suggesting that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating pets. One viral post even featured an AI-generated image of Donald Trump hugging a duck and a cat with the caption, “Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio!”
While JD Vance has somewhat walked back his previous comments, he has continued to fuel the narrative by encouraging the sharing of cat memes. In a statement, he acknowledged the possibility that the rumors could be false, but still defended his actions by stating, “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Springfield, a city with a population of around 60,000, has seen a significant influx of Haitian immigrants in recent years, with city officials estimating that up to 20,000 Haitians have settled there. While this influx has helped revitalize local industries, it has also placed a strain on public services. Despite these challenges, there is no evidence to support the harmful and unfounded claims being spread about the immigrant community.