Mityana fraudsters scam billions from foreigners using abused dogs

• Fraudsters in Mityana have raised over Shs 2.7 billion from foreign donors using fake animal rescue campaigns.

• Scammers use injured animals and emotional videos to solicit money online.

• Some shelters operate as filming hubs, with allegations of deliberate animal abuse.

Activists are calling for stronger action and greater awareness to stop the scams.

Mityana district in Central Uganda has been identified as a world epicenter for scam artists, using deliberately harmed dogs to raise billions shillings from dog sympathisers from outside the country.

A recent investigation has found that over $730,000 (about Shs 2.7 billion) has been raised by Ugandans from unsuspecting foreign donors by exploiting abused animals in staged online rescue campaigns, a new investigation has revealed.

Up to 40% of this amount was sent to dog shelters in Mityana.

The scheme, uncovered by BBC Africa Eye, shows how a network of individuals has turned animal cruelty into a lucrative online business, targeting animal lovers in Europe, North America and Australia.

The fraud relies heavily on emotional social media content. Videos posted on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook typically show injured or starving animals, accompanied by urgent appeals for donations.

One widely circulated case involved a dog later named “Russet”, which appeared in multiple fundraising campaigns claiming it had been injured in an accident. Thousands of dollars were raised for its supposed treatment.

However, investigations found that the same dog was used repeatedly across different accounts, often by unrelated individuals, to maximise donations.

In many cases, the animals never received proper care, despite the large sums raised in their names.

Undercover journalists who visited Mityana discovered that some so-called rescue shelters operate primarily as filming locations for scam content.

At one such facility, about 15 dogs were found confined in poor conditions, lying in their own waste and showing signs of malnutrition.

The shelter operator, identified as Charles Lubajja, admitted on hidden camera that the operation was designed to make money from foreign donors.

“Once you receive the GoFundMe money, you use it to buy a car or build a house,” he said.

He also revealed common tactics used to increase donations, including staging fake veterinary treatments and exaggerating the cost of feeding and caring for animals.

Animal welfare activists say the situation goes beyond neglect, with some accusing scammers of deliberately injuring animals to create more compelling content.

According to the investigation, there have been instances where dogs were harmed intentionally when scammers “ran out of content”.

Veterinary experts who examined Russet’s injuries said the pattern of fractures suggested they may not have been caused by an accident.

Despite being rescued and taken to a veterinary clinic in Kampala, the dog later died from complications linked to its injuries.

The revelations have sparked outrage among international donors and animal rights activists, many of whom say they were misled into funding cruelty.

Campaign groups such as “We Won’t Be Scammed” have since emerged to expose fraudulent accounts and warn potential donors.

Local authorities have taken some action in the past. In 2023, police in Mityana rescued 24 injured dogs from a similar operation and arrested suspects, although the case was later closed with warnings issued.

Experts say the scam persists partly because of continued donations from well-meaning individuals who do not verify the authenticity of online appeals.

“There are young men… who realised they can make money if they can get a dog,” said Bart Kakooza, chairman of the Uganda Society for the Protection and Care of Animals.

Activists are now pushing for stronger enforcement and public awareness campaigns to curb the practice, warning that without intervention, more animals will continue to suffer for profit.