Ugandan Police Rescue Dozens of Dogs, Arrest One Suspect in Mityana Animal Scams
Dozens of dogs have been rescued from purported animal shelters in Uganda, leading to the arrest of one suspect in connection with an international online scamming operation. Police and animal rights groups conducted raids on two adjacent facilities in Mityana, a locale previously implicated in schemes exploiting distressed animals to solicit funds from international donors.
Owen Godfrey Membe has entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of animal cruelty and remains in custody until 27 May. He stands accused of "killing an animal in an unnecessarily cruel manner" under Uganda's Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) Act. Two other suspects reportedly remain at large.
The rescued dogs, including those from a nearby operation, are now under the care of the Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda, a consortium of local and international activists dedicated to combating organised animal exploitation. The Alliance, which includes qualified veterinarians, is establishing an emergency shelter to house the animals.
The private prosecution against Membe has been initiated by the Animal Justice Center, a Uganda-based organisation, with financial backing from We Won't Be Scammed, a UK-based group employing online vigilante tactics to expose fraudulent rescue shelters in Uganda. We Won't Be Scammed has indicated plans to relocate the dogs to its existing partner facilities within the country.
This law enforcement action follows a recent investigation which exposed how scammers in Mityana fabricated social media content depicting dogs in distress. This content was used to defraud international donors of hundreds of thousands of pounds, with much of the money allegedly diverted to fund luxurious lifestyles for the content creators. The investigation also revealed instances of dogs being intentionally harmed to generate compelling content. One such case involved a dog named Russet, whose severe leg injuries, circulated across numerous social media accounts for fundraising, were assessed by a veterinary surgeon in Kampala as potentially having been intentionally inflicted. Russet did not survive.
Bart Kakooza, vice-chairperson of the Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda, remarked that this case marks the initial arrest in what has become an extensive online content creator's scamming business. He stated that the world is observing how Uganda will prosecute these cases and ensure a life free from cruelty for these animals.
