The untold story of ‘they’re eating the pets’ in Springfield

A close look at the origins of Donald Trump’s hoax that Haitian immigrants are “eating the pets” of people in Springfield, Ohio, reveals a completely different story than has been reported of how the falsehood originated and spread. At the June 4 commission meeting, Bill Monaghan, who moderates a Facebook page called “Stop the Influx into Springfield, Ohio,” complained immigrants were “impacting the availability of affordable housing … and sadly even local wildlife.” In late September, Monaghan told Blaze Media there used to be a pond full of ducks in town, but “they were all wiped out, and I was told it was by Haitians who eat them.” Monaghan has made numerous false claims such as 20,000 Haitian residents in Springfield receive an average of $1,000 from Social Security every month. … One day she came home from work, as soon as she stepped out of her car, looked towards a neighbors house, where Haitians live, & saw her cat hanging from a branch, like you’d do a deer for butchering, & they were carving it up to eat.” On Sept. 5, @BuckeyeGirrl, “a self-described Springfield native and Trump supporter,” posted a screenshot of Lee’s cat-eating rumor to X. … Amazon’s just fired hundreds of workers to replace them with migrant workers.” Glenda Bailey, a local GOP official, said at commission meetings this summer, “Haitians are occupiers in Springfield, and us taxpaying citizens have become their economic slaves,” and “Working-class whites being targeted for extinction.” When locals say, “They’re eating the pets,” they are expressing paranoia that they are being consumed.