# Springfield pet-eating hoax

Starting in September 2024, baseless claims spread online that Haitian immigrants were stealing and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. The claims began with a local Facebook group post claiming a local cat had been butchered, and spread quickly among far-right and neo-Nazi groups. The claims were then amplified by prominent figures in the American right, most notably Republican Senator and vice-presidential nominee, JD Vance of Ohio, followed by his running mate Donald Trump and allies such as Laura Loomer and Twitter owner Elon Musk. Subsequently, the author of the original Facebook post and the neighbor who told her the story admitted it was based on a rumor from people with whom they had not spoken.

## Facebook post

The cat rumor stemmed from a post made in early September to a private Facebook group called "Springfield Ohio Crime and Information", and that post was later re-posted elsewhere.
The author of the Facebook post later deleted it and expressed regret that the story fueled conspiracy theories. The neighbor who initially relayed the story said that she wasn't "the most credible source", and clarified that it was not her daughter's friend but just a rumor she heard from a friend's acquaintance.
* Warning to all about our beloved pets & those around us!! My neighbor informed me that her daughter’s friend had lost her cat. She checked pages, kennels, asked around, etc. One day she came home from work, as soon as she stepped out of her car, looked towards a neighbors house, where Haitians live, & saw her cat hanging from a branch, like you'd do a deer for butchering, & they were carving it up to eat. I've been told they are doing this to dogs, they have been doing it at snyder park with the ducks & geese, as I was told that last bit by Rangers & police. Please keep a close eye
** Origin of Trump and JD Vance's lies about Haitian immigrants eating pets revealed.

## Harris–Trump presidential debate

Following his running mate's elevation of this rumor, the rumor was elevated further by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
* In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there
** Presidential debate recap: Harris attacks Trump over abortion, immigration, crimes

## References

* ↑ Multiple sources: JD Vance spreads debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets. All Things Considered (September 10, 2024). Zadrozny, Brandy (September 13, 2024). Before Trump, neo-Nazis pushed false claims about Haitians as part of hate campaign (in en). NBC News. How a fringe online claim about immigrants eating pets made its way to the debate stage (in en). NBC News (September 13, 2024). Mangan, Dan (September 10, 2024). "JD Vance false conspiracy about Haitian immigrants is 'dangerous,' Biden NSC spokesman says". CNBC.  Maher, Kit (September 10, 2024). "Vance says false claim he spread against Haitian migrants may not be true but urges followers to keep posting 'cat memes'". CNN.  Williams, Austin (September 10, 2024). Trump falsely claims migrants in Ohio are eating pets during debate (in en-US). FOX TV Digital Team. Trump falsely accuses immigrants in Ohio of abducting and eating pets (in en). Associated Press (September 11, 2024). Tait, Robert (September 12, 2024). "Republicans point finger at Laura Loomer for Trump's pet-eating rant". The Guardian.
* 1 2 Triple Hearsay: Original Sources of the Claim that Haitians Eat Pets in Ohio Admit No First-Hand Knowledge (in en). NewsGuard's Reality Check (September 12, 2024).
* 1 2 Chavez, Julio-Cesar (September 12, 2024). Bomb threat in city at heart of Trump immigrant rumors sparks evacuation. Reuters.
* ↑ Lozano, Alicia Victoria (September 13, 2024). 'It just exploded': Springfield woman claims she never meant to spark false rumors about Haitians (in en). NBC News.
* ↑ Timotija, Filip (September 14, 2014). "Woman whose post ignited false Springfield cat claim says it was based on rumor". The Hill.
* ↑ Bash, Dana. “Rush Transcript Archived September 18, 2024, at the Wayback Machine”, CNN (September 15, 2024): “Before Donald Trump talked about eating dogs and cats on a debate stage, it was you Senator who first elevated this rumor, these are your constituents.”