During a recent presidential debate, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were abducting and eating pets, stating, 'They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats.' This inflammatory rhetoric was met with laughter from Vice President Kamala Harris and was quickly countered by debate moderators, who noted that local officials denied the existence of such incidents. Despite Trump and allies like Ohio Senator JD Vance perpetuating these rumors, authorities have confirmed there are no credible reports supporting these claims. The spread of these rumors has drawn criticism for reinforcing racist stereotypes about immigrants. Springfield officials have emphasized that there are approximately 12,000-15,000 Haitian immigrants in the area, with no evidence of any wrongdoing related to pets.