During the Sept. 10 debate against Kamala Harris, Donald Trump stunned viewers with the baseless claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating the dogs and cats” of local residents, referencing a viral Facebook post that circulated in the area.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,” Trump said. “The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country and it’s a shame.”
Debate moderator David Muir swiftly debunked the claim, saying that the city manager of Springfield, Ohio, said there were “no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Trump replied, “People on television say my dog was taken and used as food.” Muir reiterated, “Again the Springfield city manager says there’s no evidence of that.”
Understandably, the wild allegation quickly became the most talked-about moment of the night.
Flavor Flav wasted no time jumping into the conversation, quipping on X: “Pet Shop Boys better stay inside and lock the doors. You too, Snoop Dogg. And Pitbull.”
Other celebrities reacted with disbelief. Bette Midler called out the claim directly, tweeting, “Now he’s spreading that lie about eating cats,” while noting debate moderator David Muir had disproven Trump’s statement.
Trump’s vice-presidential running mate J.D. Vance, who shared the viral post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sept. 9, later doubled down on the pet-eating story in the post-debate spin room.
“We just heard a 911 call from a citizen in Springfield earlier today that some of the immigrants were capturing geese at the local pond, slaughtering them and killing them,” Vance told reporters. When pressed about the claim that migrants were eating pets, he responded, “I don’t know what are the full spate of animals being consumed there, but I know the geese are certainly among them.”
In a statement, Springfield police further clarified, “There have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Reuters also fact-checked the claim, confirming there was no evidence to support widespread incidents of pet theft or harm by Haitian migrants.
The outlandish claim about pet-eating dominated social media, with many left shocked by the absurdity of the situation. Check out some of the best reactions below.
