I run/own a puppy sleepover resort out of my home. So, I started a new YouTube channel to post videos of my pups playing. I had a few new subscribers and I went to their channels and subscribed in kind. I would see videos posted regularly from “Oli”, and of course they all pulled on my heartstrings. I would comment on his videos applauding his efforts tending to the pups. Then one time I commented and said I wish there was a way we could chat. I was interested in how & why he does what he does. He replied with his Instagram info. I contacted him on Instagram chat, then from there he suggested Whatsapp. We would chat on a daily basis about the dogs and his struggles to feed and tend to their needs. He expressed that he was out of food again and he was only able to give the pups water. He sent me pictures of his injured foot and told me a story that his grandma gave him food to cook for the dogs. He was swinging an ax to cut firewood to cook the food and the ax slipped and hit his foot. He sent me pictures of his injured foot. Then I would see his foot wrapped in the following videos as he limped around. That made me 1,000,000% sure that I had found a good hearted soul! I had several questions, I asked him why and how he does what he does… He gave me a long drawn-out story about how when he was 10 years old, he found a very ill and neglected dog on the street. He took him in and tried to nurse him back to health. He named him Police. Despite all his efforts, Police died in “Oli’s” arms. He continued to say since then he always wanted to advocate for dogs. He told me he rents a property that the pen is on and he struggles to pay the rent. I saw in all of his latest videos that the dogs were continually scratching and seriously very uncomfortable, they were infested with fleas. That broke my heart! I was sharing and showing these videos to my family and discussing with my husband that I would like to send him money to help his cause. I asked him how much food and the flea treatment would cost. He said that the flea medication was roughly $60 a bottle, he needed at least 3, and the food was roughly the same. He said he called the store and she was willing to give him three bottles for $55 each. He then sent me this PayPal information, and we sent him $250. The very next day, I was receiving videos of “Oli” spraying the dogs with flea repellent and he showed me the bags of food that he bought and showed that he was feeding them. They are so skinny that it brings tears to my eyes just to see them. I see all the dogs swarming around him as they show him love and affection.I was truly touched! I alone personally can’t help his cause so I decided to start a GoFundMe page to assist in his efforts of taking care of the 20 dogs on his “rented” property. I shared the fundraiser repeatedly on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.
A friend reached out to me asking me about my fundraiser and feeling very skeptical about the whole thing. I of course defended the situation and said I see videos from him all the time, it’s not a lie! I then contacted “Oli” and told him that I want him to video chat me from the yard the next day. So he did! My husband and I witnessed him getting to the yard and letting all the dogs out to feed and water them. Then his nephew showed up and he introduced us. He showed us around and showed us the pups and the pen. He also sent me videos of expanding the yard. Several men working on the expansion. I was sure that I found an honest and true soul tending to the poor abandoned, neglected, starving and ill pups! My friend sent me some screenshots of some research she did and it led me to a Facebook page from Kampala. I posted a video and a question and I got some answers that led me to my conclusion that I’ve been scammed. I wanted to share and tell my story so this doesn’t happen to anyone else. These horrible men are starving these pups on purpose to keep them skinny for their benefit. It’s truly heartbreaking!