Undercover filming by the BBC showed that instead of benefitting the dogs, many content creators spent money on funding their own luxury lifestyles.
The investigation also revealed there have been instances of dogs being intentionally harmed for content.
The BBC uncovered the case of Russet, a dog with severe leg injuries who was posted across dozens of social media accounts, together with requests for funding for his treatment.
The BBC investigation traced the story of Russet from the shelters in Mityana to a veterinary clinic in the country’s capital Kampala, where a veterinary surgeon who operated on the dog assessed his legs injuries might have been intentionally inflicted. Russet did not survive.
“This case is the first arrest after the world has seen how this scam has developed into an online content creator’s scamming business,” said Bart Kakooza, vice-chairperson of the Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda.
“The entire world is now watching to see how Uganda will bring these cases to justice and how these animals will be given a new chance at life lived without cruelty.”
