Ohio leaders dismiss claims of migrants eating pets

Donald Trump used the presidential debate to invoke baseless claims about migrants in Springfield, Ohio

Leaders in the US state of Ohio are trying to douse baseless claims that Haitian immigrants in a town there have been eating residents' pets as food.

The allegations carried in right-wing media were amplified by Donald Trump at his presidential debate with Kamala Harris on Tuesday.

"This is something that came up on the internet, and the internet can be quite crazy sometimes," Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said on Thursday. Trump repeated the false claims again at a rally in Arizona soon after.

On Tuesday, a parent in the town of Springfield accused Republicans of politically exploiting his son's death in a crash caused by a Haitian migrant.

Authorities say some 15,000 migrants of Haitian origin have resettled over the past couple of years in Springfield, a south-western Ohio town with a population of less than 60,000 people.

Some local residents have expressed frustration over the influx, saying the newcomers are straining city resources, from housing to healthcare.

In recent weeks unsubstantiated claims have surfaced on social media that the migrants are abducting and eating animals, from pet cats and dogs to park ducks.

Trump, his running mate JD Vance, the world's richest man Elon Musk and other conservatives have amplified the reports.

But Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said on Tuesday that "we have not been able to verify any credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community".

"The news story regarding a cat being killed or consumed did not originate in Springfield," he added. "It actually involved a Canton woman who was arrested for animal cruelty last month."

Canton is an Ohio city north-east of Springfield.

"I think we go with what the mayor says," Governor DeWine told CBS on Wednesday. "He knows his city."

A moderate Republican who has endorsed Trump's re-election bid, DeWine has pledged to invest in Springfield's healthcare and education systems to address its "unprecedented" population increase, but he also defended the newcomers.

"These Haitians came in here to work because there were jobs, and they filled a lot of jobs. And if you talk to employers, they've done a very, very good job and they work very, very hard," he said.

On Thursday Springfield officials evacuated city hall following reports of a bomb threat. It is not yet known whether the incident was connected to the immigration controversy.

'This needs to stop now'

The latest rebuttal comes after a Springfield father told Trump to stop using his son's death in a school bus crash, caused by a Haitian immigrant, for "political gain".

Hermano Joseph was jailed for involuntary manslaughter and felony homicide after crashing into the bus in August 2023, killing Aiden Clark, 11.

On Monday, the Trump campaign used Aiden's picture in a social media post attacking his Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

On Tuesday, Trump's running mate JD Vance referred to Aiden in a post on Twitter/X, saying that "a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant".

Aiden's father, Nathan, said in a city commission meeting later the same day that the message had reopened wounds: "They have spoken my son's name and used his death for political gain. This needs to stop now."

Mr Clark said he wished his child had been killed "by a 60-year-old white man" so "the incessant group of hate-spewing people would leave us alone".

"My son was not murdered. He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti," he continued.

"They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis, and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members," Mr Clark said on Tuesday.

"However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio."

The Trump campaign told the BBC it was "deeply sorry to the Clark family for the loss of their son".

"We hope the media will continue to cover the stories of the very real suffering and tragedies experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio, due to the influx of illegal Haitian immigrants in their community," the campaign said.