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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) has dismissed claims that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets.
Let’s bring you up to speed: Rumors about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, eating pets stemmed in part from an unrelated incident involving a woman named Alexis Ferrell. On August 16, Ferrell, 27, was arrested outside Canton, Ohio, after witnesses saw her kill and eat a cat. Bodycam footage from the arrest showed her covered in the cat’s blood while eating it. She was charged with animal cruelty and disorderly conduct. Ferrell is not a Haitian migrant, and the incident occurred far from Springfield. Despite this, political figures like Senator JD Vance and former President Donald Trump helped spread the claims, with Vance’s office confirming they’ve received calls about the migrants eating pets.

What the Governor is saying: During an interview on CBS, Governor DeWine said the internet “can be quite crazy.” He continued, “Look, the mayor … of Springfield says there’s no truth in that. They have no evidence of that at all. So if we go with what the mayor says, he knows his city.”

Digging deeper: Local officials in Springfield have repeatedly denied false claims that Haitian migrants are eating pets, stressing there’s no evidence to support these rumors. City Manager Bryan Heck has publicly stated that no such incidents have been reported or investigated. The Springfield police also confirmed that no complaints about missing pets or animal-related incidents involving migrants have been filed.
What Trump has said: During the presidential debate, Former President Donald Trump said, “What they have done to our country by allowing these millions and millions of people to come into our country — and look at what is happening to the towns [in the] United States. A lot of towns don’t want to talk. Not going to be Aurora [or] Springfield. A lot of towns don’t want to talk about it because they’re embarrassed by it. In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs.” Trump received pushback from moderator David Muir, who said ABC contacted local officials who said the claims were false. Trump responded by saying he “saw people on television talking about it. We’ll find out.”