Animal cruelty trial adjourned as rescue fraud allegations emerge
Membe appeared before the Mityana Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (July 29), about 70km west of Kampala, where he faces allegations of animal cruelty and operating an online shelter that solicited donations for the rescue and treatment of distressed animals.
Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda gathered in Mubende to attend the case against an alleged scammer, Owen Geofrey Membe, at Mityana Court on July 29, 2026. (Photo by Titus Kakembo)
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The trial of Owen Godfrey Membe, accused of animal cruelty and allegedly obtaining part of an estimated $730,000 (sh2.7b) raised from online donors through an animal-rescue operation, has been adjourned to September 17, 2026.
Membe appeared before the Mityana Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (July 29), about 70km west of Kampala, where he faces allegations of animal cruelty and operating an online shelter that solicited donations for the rescue and treatment of distressed animals.
In the case filed by Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda (AWAU), Membe is alleged to have presented animals online as victims in urgent need of medical treatment, food and shelter, prompting donors, particularly those abroad, to contribute towards their rescue.
The allegations have attracted international attention, with investigators claiming that some animals, particularly dogs and cats, were deliberately subjected to distressing conditions to generate emotional online content and attract donations.
According to investigators, the alleged operation is part of a wider network of individuals in Mityana, Iganga, Kampala and Gulu, who have turned animal-rescue appeals on social media into a lucrative enterprise.
Godfrey Senyonjo, an investigator at Mityana Police Station, said police investigations had uncovered what he described as a growing network of alleged fake animal shelters.
“Membe is accused of operating a fake shelter, a social-media account and a rescue organisation. Mityana has become infamous among online animal rescue activists around the world for fake dog rescue shelters,” Senyonjo said.
He said six suspects were in custody, including Membe, who was out on bail, while other suspects were still at large.
According to Senyonjo, the suspects exploited the popularity of animal welfare in Europe, North America and Australia, where online appeals involving distressed pets attract substantial donations.
The alleged operators reportedly run social-media accounts from their homes, posting videos on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, showing animals portrayed as sick, injured, starving or abandoned.
Police allege that some animals are deliberately crippled, wounded, kept in poor conditions or otherwise presented in ways intended to elicit sympathy from unsuspecting donors.
The Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Diretorate in Mityana, Ambrose Omara, said they had also encountered suspects living lifestyles that appeared disproportionate to their known sources of income.
“Some of the suspects are loaded with huge sums of money and have been buying their way out. Nobody is willing to testify against them,” Omara said, adding that some suspects lived celebrity lifestyles and were driving posh cars.
Investigators further allege that some homes are used as makeshift studios where dogs, cats and rabbits are kept or brought in and filmed in staged-managed distressing situations designed to generate sympathy from potential donors.
In court, Membe appeared calm and composed as he was brought in for trial. He was clutching a brown envelope as the magistrate, Amon Mugezi, adjourned the case.
Asked about the allegations against him, Membe said his involvement with animals stemmed from a genuine love for them dating back to his childhood.
“My crime is my love for animals,” Membe said.
Animal welfare concerns
Meg Yaqnay, the AWAU secretary, said the organisation hoped the case would send a strong message to people who exploit the plight of animals for financial gain.
Yaqnay said educating the public about animal rights was one of AWAU’s major tools in combating animal abuse.
AWAU treasurer Faye Thomas said animals rescued from captivity and alleged exploitation on May 10, 2026, were being kept in emergency shelters.
“They are receiving veterinary assessment, treatment where necessary, rehabilitation and socialisation,” Thomas said.
But animal-welfare concerns extend beyond alleged online rescue scams.
David Balonda, the director of BAM Animal Clinic, said mistreatment of animals in Uganda remains alarming, pointing to the conditions under which livestock and poultry are transported and handled.
“Besides these scammers, there are butcher owners, livestock and poultry dealers, who handle them in alarming conditions. You find cows tied by the tail and neck in one position for hours on end. Chickens hang on the car body upside down,” Balonda said.
He said some animals suffer what he described as “lorry fright” because it was their first time travelling in a vehicle.
“They do not graze or drink water when in transit. Pigs are heard squealing for dear life,” he said.
Mityana District Veterinary Officer Daniel Seremba said the district was also struggling with a growing number of stray dogs.
He said authorities were sensitising dog owners about responsible breeding and proper care of pets, while encouraging them to vaccinate their animals to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
“Give the pets good care and bring them for vaccination,” Seremba said.
He said the district lacked a shelter where homeless animals could be kept.