Authorities in Springfield, Ohio, have found no evidence to support widely circulated claims on social media that Haitian immigrants were abducting and consuming pets. Despite the lack of credible reports, these baseless allegations have gained traction, largely fueled by statements from public figures, including former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance.
The false claims allege that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were responsible for taking and eating local pets, but city officials have confirmed these rumors are unfounded.
Senator JD Vance previously stated that Haitian immigrants were causing disruptions in Springfield, further asserting recently that they had begun taking and consuming pets. Former President Donald Trump echoed these claims during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, insisting that the information had been aired on television.
Despite these assertions, officials in Springfield have repeatedly denied the allegations. A spokesperson from the Springfield Police Department confirmed that no credible reports or evidence had been found to support the claim that immigrants, particularly from Haiti, were harming or consuming pets. “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs — the people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there and this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame,” Trump said during the debate, further perpetuating the false narrative.
The pet-eating claim is believed to have stemmed from a viral post on social media. A video circulated online suggesting a Haitian immigrant in Springfield had killed and eaten a pet cat. However, an investigation by The Springfield News-Sun revealed that the incident in question did not occur in Springfield but in Canton, Ohio, which is roughly 170 miles away.
The Canton incident involved a woman named Allexis Ferrell, who was arrested on August 16 and charged with animal cruelty after allegedly killing a cat by stomping on it and then consuming it in front of witnesses. According to the Canton Police Department, Ferrell “smashed the cat’s head with her foot and then began to eat the cat.” Bodycam footage of the 27-year-old’s arrest was released to the public, but rumors began to swirl that she was an immigrant, despite her being an American citizen. Ferrell was born in Ohio and graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 2015.
The Canton case was unrelated to Haitian immigrants, but the story quickly became conflated with false information on social media.
In addition to the false claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets, another misleading image has been circulating online. A photo of a Black man holding a goose was misused to suggest that Haitian immigrants were eating geese in Springfield. However, the person who took the photo clarified that it was captured in Columbus, Ohio, on July 28 and had no connection to the false claims. CBS News verified the image’s location, confirming that it was entirely unrelated to the rumors.
As the false claims continued to spread, Springfield police issued a statement on Tuesday debunking the rumors. “In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,” said a police spokesperson.
Additionally, the Canton Police Department denied any involvement of Haitian immigrants in the animal cruelty case and confirmed that they had not dealt with any such complaints from the Haitian community.
Despite clear denials from authorities, public figures like former President Donald Trump, Senator JD Vance, and entrepreneur Elon Musk have shared or referenced these baseless claims on social media. Musk even shared memes that referenced the false story, further adding to the misinformation campaign.
Officials continue to urge the public to rely on verified sources of information and to avoid sharing unverified claims. Authorities have reiterated that there is no credible evidence to support the allegations against the Haitian immigrant community in Springfield.
This incident highlights the dangers of misinformation, especially when amplified by high-profile figures, and underscores the need for critical evaluation of sources before spreading information.
