This week’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump featured some highly questionable — and outright bizarre — claims. One of the most notable moments occurred when Trump alleged that immigrants are eating people’s pets.
Did this really happen in Ohio, and is eating dog and cat meat even legal? Here’s what we know.
▶ Read more from our partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
What did Trump say about eating cats and dogs?
“In Springfield, (migrants are) eating the dogs,” Trump said. “The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating… they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Springfield city officials, including the city manager, told USA TODAY there is no evidence to support claims that Haitian immigrants have harmed or eaten any pets.
2024 election:Ohio officials respond to JD Vance, misinformation on Haitian immigrants, crime
Was there a cat-eating incident in Ohio?
An incident did occur in Canton, Ohio — about 170 miles northeast of Springfield — where a 27-year-old woman was arrested in August for allegedly killing and eating a cat. However, the woman was not a Haitian immigrant, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Is it illegal to eat cats and dogs in the United States?
The 2018 Farm Bill, which includes the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act, bans the import, export, and slaughter of cats and dogs for human consumption. The law makes it illegal to slaughter cats and dogs for food at the federal level, with exceptions for certain indigenous religious or cultural practices.
Former President Trump signed the bill into law on Dec. 20, 2018.
What’s the penalty for eating dogs and cats?
Under the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act of 2018, individuals caught violating the ban on the slaughter, transport, sale or purchase of dogs and cats for human consumption face a fine of up to $5,000 for each violation.
This federal penalty applies to both the import and export and the domestic slaughter of dogs and cats for consumption.
It’s unclear if the woman in Ohio received a fine for the violation, but she was charged with injuring animals, prohibitions concerning companion animals and disorderly conduct.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
