The line comes from the televised United States presidential debate on 10 September 2024, when Donald Trump claimed that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents' pets. The remark was widely clipped, fact-checked and remixed within hours, becoming one of the most repeated moments of the campaign. It spread through news coverage, reaction videos and short-form edits, where the dogs line was often isolated for comedic effect. Its staying power comes from the contrast between a serious debate stage and an outlandish claim, making it a ready shorthand for disbelief.