It is hard to believe that a candidate seeking the position of President of the United States, the so-called “Most Powerful Man in the World”, who is asserting with passion that immigrants are eating people’s pets, can be taken seriously. It is equally incredible that his associates would endorse and support him in this position and make statements to explain and justify this allegation.
So what happens if this guy is elected?
There have been recent allegations that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are stealing and eating residents’ pets, particularly cats and dogs. However, local authorities have stated there is no evidence to support these claims.
Originating in a Facebook post by a Springfield resident Erika Lee in early September 2024, Lee claimed that her neighbour’s daughter’s friend had lost her cat, and later saw it hanging from a tree branch being butchered at a house where Haitians lived[4][5].
However, Lee has since stated that she heard this story fourth-hand and had no direct proof. The neighbour she heard it from also acknowledged that her sources were unreliable and she had no evidence[4][5]. Yet, the claims were amplified by several politicians:
- Ohio Senator JD Vance posted on social media alleging that Haitian “illegal immigrants” in Springfield were “abducting and eating” people’s pets[1][2][6][7][8].
- Former President Donald Trump repeated the allegations at rallies and during a presidential debate, claiming that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are “eating the dogs” and “eating the cats”[1][2][4][6].
- Others, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz also shared posts promoting the allegations [1][3].
Some social media users tried to link the pet-eating claims to animal sacrifice in Haitian Voodoo, but experts have stated that cats and dogs are not part of Voodoo rituals[3].
Local officials in Springfield, Ohio have repeatedly stated there is no evidence whatsoever of Haitian immigrants harming or eating pets:
- The Springfield City Manager’s office issued a statement confirming they have not received any credible reports of pets being injured or eaten by the immigrant community[1][2][5].
- The Springfield police said they have not received any reports of stolen or eaten pets[2].
- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, while not directly addressing the allegations, expressed support for the Haitian community and directed questions to local authorities[2].
An unrelated animal cruelty case involving an Ohio-born U.S. citizen named Allexis Ferrell from Canton was misleadingly connected to the Springfield rumors[2][6]. In August, Ferrell allegedly killed and ate a cat, but she has no known ties to Haiti or Haitian immigrants.
The spread of these allegations has led to concerns and fears among the Haitian immigrant community in Springfield[1][5]. There have also been bomb threats against schools and government buildings in the city after the claims went viral[7][8].
Springfield has seen its Haitian population grow to an estimated 15,000-20,000 in recent years as part of a legal resettlement program[1][2]. Community leaders are working to support the immigrants in the face of these allegations.
Citations:
[1] ‘A very old political trope’: the racist US history behind Trump’s Haitian pet eater claim
[2] Trump falsely accuses immigrants in Ohio of abducting and eating pets
[3] Fact check: Disinformation targets Haitian migrants
[4] Origin of Trump and JD Vance’s lies about Haitian immigrants eating pets revealed
[5] Woman Behind Springfield Haitian Immigrants ‘Eating Pets’ Rumor Speaks Out
[6] Hatian Immigrant pet-eating row
[7] Vance defends spreading claims that Haitian migrants are eating pets
[8] JD Vance admits he is willing to ‘create stories’ to get media attention
[9] Trump’s false claim about Haitian immigrants eating pets invokes racist trope
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