Overview

• The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) investigated two separate reports of Haitian individuals allegedly taking waterfowl from Snyder Park in Springfield.
• Both incidents, one reported in March and the other in August, involved claims of people placing geese and ducks into trash bags and driving away.
• ODNR and local officials found no supporting evidence, such as photos, videos, or dead geese, to validate the claims of wildlife abductions.
• The influx of Haitian migrants to Springfield, estimated between 12,000 to 20,000, has strained local resources, leading to cultural tensions and misinformation.
• Authorities and fact-checkers have dismissed the allegations as unfounded, with some attributing the rumors to discriminatory stereotypes.