There were many claims made by both presidential candidates that were fact-checked — including one made by Republican nominee Donald Trump about immigrants eating pets in Ohio.
However, officials in Springfield, Ohio, the site of this alleged activity, state this claim is simply not true, per ABC News.
According to a city spokesperson, there have been “no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals in the immigrant community.”
The fact-check was necessitated when Trump screamed “they’re eating the dogs!” The Hill reported.
“I saw people on television talking about it,” Trump asserted after ABC News anchor David Muir questioned the story’s veracity.
Rumors about this have increased with the help of social media posts from political figures recently.
A post on X, formerly Twitter by the House Judiciary GOP utilized AI tools to show an image of Trump holding cats and ducks, promoting him as a protector of animals.
Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio! pic.twitter.com/YnTZStPnsg
— House Judiciary GOP(@JudiciaryGOP) September 9, 2024
Other alleged misdeeds by Haitian immigrants were also denied by city officials.
“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,” the city spokesperson said, per ABC.
Trump’s running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) has advanced these claims, but said on Tuesday it is possible the rumors were false, per The Hill.
ABC reported the area appeals to these immigrants because of its low cost of living and work opportunities, the city said on its website.
There are about 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants living in Clark County, which has brought about a strain in housing, health care, and school resources.
City officials said the immigrants are in the country legally.
