Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating pets
| Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating pets | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are stealing and eating residents' pets, including cats and dogs, as well as geese and ducks from local parks." | |
| Domain | Politics & Elections |
| Tactic | Fabrication Propaganda Technique |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2024 |
| Origin | Secondhand social media posts in August and September 2024, amplified by Senator JD Vance and by Donald Trump during the September 10, 2024, presidential debate |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-27 |
| Further reading: books on Politics & Elections | |
The claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating pets spread rapidly in September 2024, during the US presidential campaign. Springfield, a city of about 60,000 in western Ohio, had received an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitian immigrants in recent years, most of them in the country legally under temporary protected status or humanitarian parole, drawn by jobs in local factories. Their arrival strained housing, schools and services. Social media posts claimed, based on hearsay, that Haitians were eating pets. Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance repeated the claim, and Donald Trump said during his debate with Kamala Harris that in Springfield, immigrants were eating dogs and cats. City officials, police and Ohio's Republican governor said there was no credible evidence. The claim was followed by bomb threats that forced evacuations of schools and government buildings in Springfield.
The claim
The claim originated in local Facebook posts, including one in which a resident relayed a story she said came from a neighbor's acquaintance about a cat being killed and eaten. Other posts claimed that geese were disappearing from parks. Screenshots spread widely on X and other platforms, sometimes with AI-generated images. On September 9 Vance posted that reports showed people's pets being abducted and eaten. The next night, Trump repeated the claim before a television audience of tens of millions. When the debate moderator noted that city officials had said there were no credible reports, Trump said he had seen people on television saying it.
What the evidence shows
- Officials. The city of Springfield said it had received no credible or detailed reports of pets being harmed by members of the immigrant community. The police chief and city manager said the same.
- The governor. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, said there was no evidence for the claim and defended the Haitian community's contribution to the local economy.
- The original source. The woman whose Facebook post helped spread the claim told reporters that she had no firsthand knowledge and had been passing on what she heard. The neighbor's story could not be confirmed.
- Misattributed incidents. A video of a woman arrested in August 2024 for killing and eating a cat was widely shared as evidence, but it was filmed in Canton, Ohio, about 170 miles away, and the woman was not Haitian.
- Vance's comments. Asked about the claim in a CNN interview, Vance acknowledged that it rested on reports from constituents and said he was willing to create stories to draw media attention to the problems he believed immigration was causing.
Consequences
In the following weeks, Springfield received dozens of bomb threats targeting schools, hospitals and city offices, leading to evacuations and closures. Haitian residents reported fear and harassment. Haitian American groups filed a criminal complaint against Trump and Vance, which a local court referred to prosecutors.
Why it persists
The claim drew on a long history of dehumanizing stereotypes about immigrants and racial minorities as eating pets, which have targeted Asian, Latino and other communities. It resonated with real tensions in Springfield over rapid demographic change. Amplification by national political figures transformed a local rumor into a national story.
Lessons for readers
- Ask whether a claim comes from firsthand witnesses or chains of hearsay.
- Check whether local officials, who are closest to the facts, confirm it.
- Verify where and when a video was recorded before connecting it to a claim.
- Be alert to stereotypes that have historically been used to dehumanize groups.
- Consider the real-world harm that unverified claims about communities can cause.
See also
- Muslim migrants caused the 2026 French riots
- Noncitizens vote in large numbers in US elections
- The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
Sources
- City of Springfield, Ohio, statements on social media claims, September 2024.
- Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, statements on the Haitian community in Springfield, September 2024.
- Reporting by NBC News, The New York Times and the Springfield News-Sun on the origin of the claims, September 2024.
- CNN, State of the Union interview with JD Vance, September 15, 2024.