Most in Ohio survey say baseless Trump claim that immigrants are eating pets is false

Most in a new Ohio survey from The Washington Post said baseless claims about immigrants eating pets are false.

Fifty-seven percent of registered voters in the Buckeye State labeled a claim by former President Trump that “Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating people’s pets” as “definitely false” and “probably false.” About a quarter, 24 percent, labeled the claim as “definitely true” and “probably true.”

The false claim came into the national spotlight during last month’s presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Harris, with the former president stating that Haitian migrants are “eating the dogs” in the Ohio city.

“What they have done to our country by allowing these millions and millions of people to come into our country — and look at what’s happening to the towns [in the] United States, a lot of towns don’t want to talk. Not going to be Aurora [or] Springfield,” the former president said. “A lot of towns don’t want to talk about it because they’re so embarrassed by it. In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs.”

When asked about “Haitian immigrants in Ohio” and how they affect “the communities they live in,” 32 percent of registered voters said they believe they “generally make” the communities they live in “a lot better” and “a little better.” Forty-two percent said they believe Haitian immigrants in their state generally make the communities they live in “a little worse” and “a lot worse.”

The Post poll took place between Oct. 3 and 7, featuring 1,002 Ohio registered voters and plus or minus 3.5 percentage points as the margin of error.