Springfield pet-eating hoax

Springfield City Hall (pictured in 2007), one of several public buildings evacuated after bomb threats stemming from the 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.[1][2] 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.[3][4]

Springfield and county law enforcement said that no credible reports or evidence support the claims, and the city's mayor and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who are both Republicans, have denounced them.[5] The claims were widely described as racist.[6][7][8] Fact-checking website Snopes called the claims unfounded, while others characterized them as a hoax or a lie.[9][10] When challenged on the factual basis of the claims, Vance told interviewer Dana Bash, "If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do".[11]

The pet-eating claims spread amid existing racial tensions in Springfield, where recent legal Haitian immigration strained some public resources. There had been previous incidents of hostility towards the local Haitian community and unfounded local rumors of Haitians stealing waterfowl for food.[12] After the claims spread, dozens of bomb threats targeted Springfield schools, hospitals, public buildings, and businesses, often accompanied by anti-Haitian messages.[13]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bash was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Multiple sources:
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brewster-2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Chavez, Julio-Cesar (September 12, 2024). "Bomb threat in city at heart of Trump immigrant rumors sparks evacuation". Reuters. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Multiple sources:
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Leingang-2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference vox3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Olmstead-2024a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Hartmann, Margaret (September 10, 2024). "'They're Eating the Dogs!' Trump Touts Pet-Eating Hoax at Debate". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Novak, Matt (September 9, 2024). "Trump Supporters Flood Social Media With Viral Hoax About Migrants Eating Cats and Ducks". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Helmore, Edward (September 15, 2024). "JD Vance admits he is willing to 'create stories' to get media attention". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  12. ^ Multiple sources:
  13. ^ Breuninger, Kevin; Rozzelle, Josephine (September 16, 2024). "Ohio GOP Gov. DeWine says 'at least 33' bomb threats prompt Springfield to begin daily school sweeps". CNBC. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.