Springfield, Ohio, community affected by claims of immigrants eating pets

During the Sept. 10 presidential debate, former President Donald Trump promoted the falsehood that migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating people’s pets. It's led to some safety concerns in the community.

Springfield city officials have dismissed these accounts as untrue and that they have not received any credible reports of these claims. Springfield police also told a local news outlet they have received no reports of pets being stolen and eaten.

Republican vice presidential candidate and Sen. JD Vance has accused Haitian migrants of causing chaos in his home state of Ohio, including allegations that they are responsible for stealing residents’ cats and eating them, and causing diseases like TB and HIV to rise in numbers.

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“In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve said their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants,” Vance said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Do you know what’s confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here. That local health services have been overwhelmed. That communicable diseases–like TB and HIV–have been on the rise,” Vance continued.

Haitian immigrants in the community have spoken out about the danger to their community as their city remains a part of the national debate. Despite local officials’ efforts to debunk the pet-eating rumors, Trump’s campaign and Republican party leaders, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, have continued to spread the claims.

Here's what you need to know:

What did Trump say about immigrants in Springfield, Ohio?

“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,” Trump said during the debate.

‘They hate us':Haitian residents in Springfield, Ohio, fear for their safety

Are people eating cats in Ohio?

A 27-year-old woman was arrested in August in Canton after police said she likely killed and ate a cat in a “residential area in front of multiple people,” according to an arrest report obtained by USA TODAY.

Canton is located about 170 miles northeast of Springfield, where Vance has accused Haitian immigrants of causing damages.

The woman involved in the case was not a Haitian immigrant but an Ohio resident, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Have cats or pets have been harmed by immigrants?

Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck said there’s no evidence of any cats or other pets being harmed or eaten by the Haitian immigrants.

“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,” the statement said.

It also addressed other rumors circulating online:

“Additionally, there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents’ homes. Furthermore, no reports have been made regarding members of the immigrant community deliberately disrupting traffic.”

What have been the effects of the rumors?

Springfield City Hall and two elementary schools were evacuated after receiving bomb threats. On Saturday, threats forced lockdowns on two area hospitals.

Wittenberg University announced Saturday that it was taking “extreme precautions” and increasing security following an email threatening a potential shooting on campus targeting Haitian members of the school's community on Sunday. Wittenberg is a small liberal arts college located in Springfield. Founded in 1845, it is associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.