Congressman Lawler Pushes Back On Claims About Haitians Eating Pets

By Idy Perl

Stories have been circulating on social media over the last few days about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eating local residents’ pets. JD Vance reported that his office had gotten multiple calls from residents that their cats and dogs had been abducted and were being eaten by Haitian immigrants who had recently arrived to Springfield, and a video showing police speaking to a woman who was found with a dead cat went viral on social media as well. Officials in Springfield have denied the claims, and the police say that they haven’t gotten any reports of stolen or eaten pets.

During yesterday’s presidential debate Trump brought up these claims again, saying “They’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets,” during a question regarding immigration.

Trump’s comments drew criticism from both sides of the aisle (and plenty of ridicule from the left,) and although some Republicans are still pushing the narrative, others are encouraging the public to wait for more substantial information before rushing to conclusions.

The spokesperson for Congressman Mike Lawler released a statement on the issue on the Congressman’s behalf.

"Congressman Lawler is proud to represent one of the largest Haitian-American diasporas in the country and has worked tirelessly to address issues important to the Haitian community — including working to resolve the unstable situation in Haiti," Congressman Lawler's spokesman Nate Soule said. "Congressman Lawler has not seen independent verification of the wild claims that have been spread by some about the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio. He encourages his colleagues to exercise great restraint when spreading unfounded theories and claims based off of posts on Facebook.”