Last night’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, likely leaving many viewers concerned.
“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.”
This claim mirrors accusations made by Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, who previously alleged that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were stealing and eating cats.
However, 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.
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.
Nevertheless, these claims may spark further debate on whether such actions are illegal.
Is it illegal to eat cats and dogs in the United States?
In the past six years, the U.S. government has enacted legislation prohibiting the consumption of cats and dogs.
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. While this law makes it illegal to slaughter cats and dogs for food at the federal level, exceptions exist for certain indigenous religious or cultural practices.
However, it’s important to note that other pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, remain legal to consume.
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.
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