Ohio AG knocks 'media' over Springfield animal hunting claims

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (TND) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Wednesday accused the "media" of ignoring evidence surrounding claims Springfield, Ohio residents are having their pets abducted and eaten.

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, on Tuesday shared his office had received reports that household pets in Springfield, Ohio “were abducted by Haitian migrants.” The senator noted he could not verify these claims, but attributed several tragedies to the arrival of immigrants.

The Republican vice presidential nominee juxtaposed this with the Biden administration's border practices.

“Do you know what's confirmed?” he asked via X. “That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here. That local health services have been overwhelmed. That communicable diseases--like TB and HIV--have been on the rise. That local schools have struggled to keep up with newcomers who don't know English. That rents have risen so fast that many Springfield families can't afford to put a roof over their head.”

Springfield residents testified about the situation during a city commission meeting Tuesday.

“We have national attention now over alleged people eating cats,” a resident identified by the council as "Barron" said. “I looked on the menu of three or four restaurants here today man, I didn’t see roasted fluffy nowhere on it. It’s nuts.”

“The good thing is we have the nation’s attention,” he added. “What are we going to do with it?”

Yost took to X to condemn "the media" for overlooking these remarks after former President Trump mentioned the rumors during Tuesday night's presidential debate.

“There’s a recorded police call from a witness who saw immigrants capturing geese for food in Springfield,” he said. “Citizens testified to City Council. These people would be competent witnesses in court. Why does the media find a carefully worded City Hall press release better evidence?”

Reacting to the post was Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who shared an image of a goose holding a sign reading “geese can be pets!”

Migration has been a point of concern in Springfield for the past several weeks. Residents have spoken about the issue at several recent city commission meetings, with some claiming they feel "unsafe" as a result of the immigrant influx.

“I have men that cannot speak English in my front yard screaming at me, throwing mattresses in my front yard, throwing trash in my front yard,” one resident said during an August 13 meeting.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue on Tuesday rejected the claims of migrants eating residents pets, saying the city has not "been able to verify any credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community."

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