The accusation that Haitian immigrants “are eating pets” recently resurfaced during a Republican presidential debate, echoing a long and ugly history of anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States. This slur, uttered by Donald Trump, unfortunately, is not a new phenomenon. For centuries, similar rumors have been weaponized to dehumanize and ostracize immigrant communities, using disgust and fear to draw lines between “Americans” and “others.”
Understanding the roots and impact of this racist trope is crucial. It reveals how deeply ingrained dietary rules are in defining American identity and how easily these rules can be twisted into tools of division.
Dietary Lines: Defining “Us” and “Them” Through Food
In America, the lines of what is considered food versus pet are sharply drawn. Cows, pigs, and chickens are food. Dogs and cats are companions. This seemingly simple distinction forms a cornerstone of American culinary norms. These norms, encompassing not just what we eat but how and with whom we eat, are powerful markers of cultural identity. Consider the unifying power of Thanksgiving turkey, ballpark hot dogs, or movie theater popcorn – these foods are almost ritualistic in their Americanness.
Food choices also define subgroups within the larger American culture. From veganism and vegetarianism to paleo and carnivore diets, food becomes a statement of personal and political identity. Religious dietary laws further complicate the landscape, sometimes creating insurmountable barriers to shared meals and understanding between different faiths.
Debunking the “Eating Pets” Myth: No Evidence, Just Racism
Despite the long history of these rumors, it’s crucial to state unequivocally: there is no evidence that Haitian immigrants, or any other immigrant group, are stealing and eating pets. Fact-checkers have repeatedly debunked these claims. The accusation is a deliberate fabrication, a racist lie designed to dehumanize and incite hatred.
The purpose of this falsehood is clear: to create a stark “us vs. them” divide. By accusing immigrants of eating animals considered beloved companions, perpetrators attempt to paint them as barbaric, un-American, and deserving of suspicion and hostility.
Alt text: Racist sign at Chicago hot dog restaurant reading “Immigrants eat our dogs,” highlighting anti-immigrant sentiment through food stereotypes.
The Persistent Legend of “Delicious Pets”: A History of Food-Based Slurs
The myth of immigrants eating pets is not new; it’s a recurring theme in racist folklore. Folklore expert Jan Harold Brunvand notes that legends of immigrants stealing pets for their dinner tables or ethnic restaurants have circulated for centuries across Europe, Australia, and the United States.
These legends often target specific immigrant groups. “Oriental restaurants serving dog (or cat) meat” and “Asian immigrants capturing and cooking people’s pets” are recurring tropes documented by Brunvand. As early as 1883, Chinese-American journalist Wong Chin Foo challenged this racist stereotype, offering a reward for proof of Chinese people eating cats or rats in New York. No proof was ever found, yet the myth persisted.
The racist jokes and urban legends continue. Scholars cite examples like “sick jokes” about Vietnamese cookbooks titled “100 Ways to Wok Your Dog.” Even comedians have, at times, perpetuated the stereotype, albeit sometimes in self-deprecating ways, as in Tessie Chua’s 1993 joke about her mixed heritage and eating dog.
Mainstream media, even unintentionally, has contributed to the spread of these myths. In 1971, Reuters reported on an outlandish urban legend about a poodle named Rosa being served in a Hong Kong restaurant. In 1980, Stockton, California, was gripped by racist rumors of Vietnamese families stealing dogs for food. More recently, popular culture, like the TV show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” in 2005, has used the trope for comedic effect, further embedding it in the public consciousness.
Scholars recognize these tropes as a “nativist backlash” and a “vehicle for anti-immigrant,” particularly anti-Asian, sentiment in the U.S. They are not harmless jokes; they are tools of dehumanization rooted in prejudice.
Beyond Pets: The Broader History of Food-Based Ethnic Slurs
The “eating pets” myth is just one example within a broader history of using food to create ethnic slurs. It’s not just about what we eat, but also what we refuse to eat that defines group boundaries and fuels prejudice.
Consider the term “garlic eater,” once a common ethnic slur against Italian Americans in the early 20th century. Other terms like “spaghetti bender” and “grape stomper” also existed, but “garlic eater” became particularly potent because garlic was seen as an “olfactory signifier” – a defining, and supposedly offensive, smell associated with Italian immigrants.
Similarly, when far-right figure Laura Loomer tweeted in 2024 that the White House would “smell like curry” if Kamala Harris became president, she was employing the same tactic – using food to evoke racist stereotypes and fears.
This phenomenon is not unique to America. Persians have called Punjabis “dal khor” (dal-eater), Romanians have called Italians “macaronar” (macaroni-eater), Iranians have called Arabs “malakh-khor” (locust-eater), and Southern Italians have called Northern Italians “polentoni” (polenta-eater). While some of these terms might seem innocuous to outsiders, within their specific cultural contexts, they function as derogatory labels.
Even seemingly neutral food preferences can be weaponized to create division. In the Amazon, different indigenous groups, like the Parakanã and Arara, find each other’s preferred meats – tapir and monkey, respectively – disgusting. The specific food doesn’t matter; what matters is the act of using dietary differences to create an “us versus them” mentality.
Alt text: Philomene Philostin, Haitian-American store owner in Springfield, Ohio, showcasing resilience amidst racist rumors targeting her community.
Real-World Harm: The Dangerous Consequences of Racist Rumors
These food-based racist rumors are not just words; they have real-life consequences. In early 2024, a false rumor about a Laotian and Thai restaurant in California cooking dog meat led to severe harassment and forced the owner to relocate his business.
More directly related to the “eating pets” slur, after Trump repeated the myth about immigrants eating pets, Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, faced bomb threats, leading to school and building closures. Members of the Haitian community reported feeling unsafe and fearful for their well-being. This demonstrates the immediate and tangible danger of these racist lies.
Finding Unity in Diversity: Food as a Bridge
Despite the history of food being used to divide, there is also a hopeful counter-narrative. The very words “company” and “companionship” originate from Latin roots meaning “those with whom we share bread.” Food, at its core, is about sharing and connection.
Just as “garlic eater” transformed from a slur into a point of pride and garlic became integral to American cuisine, so too can other foods and cultural traditions bridge divides. Today, the diversity of American cuisine – enriched by sushi, curry, and countless other dishes brought by immigrants – is a source of national strength and deliciousness. Understanding the history of food-based prejudice is crucial to actively building a more inclusive and united society, one meal at a time.
