Fighting the Dog-Fighters with The Animal Welfare Investigations Project
Dogs fighting to the death is big money. Gamblers bet hundreds of thousands of dollars a fight, and almost 40,000 Americans participate a year - as around 16,000 animals die. The US government offers a $5000 reward to report fights, but this is a global problem, with 1,150 investigations in the UK last year.
Such big business, with people watching fights online, or looking for opportunities to find local fights, means dog fighting leaves a digital trail for intrepid OSINT Industries investigators to sniff out.
Consequently, an individual who works for the Animal Welfare Investigations Project reached out to OSINT Industries.
Following previous success in the Far East for a wildlife-tracking NGO, this AWIP worker now investigates dog fighting across the world using OSINT Industries services. She shared how our platform enables her vital work to rescue the vulnerable animals caught up in these illegal enterprises.
Following a First Name
OSINT Industries is currently helping this AWIP worker to disrupt the phenomenon of dog fighting rings in the Southern United States; an operation that relies on often vague tip-offs.
A tip-off provided a Facebook profile of an individual believed to be involved in dog fighting. Unfortunately, this profile was only using a first name. Without our platform, it would be difficult for this investigator to determine any specific information. However, the Facebook profile listed an email address.
Putting this email address into OSINT Industries provided links to further social media accounts. These were corroborated by pictures of the suspect - and provided his full name.
Our AWIP worker could now conduct background checks. OSINT Industries helped provide a PayPal account using the same email address, vital in building a case against an individual suspected of fighting dogs.
Only an Email Address
After another tip-off, this AWIP investigator received an email address for a dog fighting suspect. This suspect had confirmed links with known rings, but with the only available data an email address, finding details was proving challenging. This suspect was using an alias on social media.
Putting the email address through OSINT Industries provided our AWIP worker with multiple accounts all using the same false name. However, OSINT Industries also pulled up a phone number connected to one of the aliased accounts; she could now connect to an address. The suspect was now identifiable.
OSINT Industries, again, was integral in building a case.
Going Forward with OSINT
After detailing the success of these two investigations, this AWIP investigator told us she uses OSINT Industries as soon as she receives any email address or phone number. Due to the ease of using our tool and the value of the information it provides, OSINT Industries has become indispensable in her work to end the abuse of vulnerable animals.
She says that although data is always hard to find, OSINT Industries provides the “crumbs” of information that are often critical when it comes to following tip-offs and exposing serious criminals.
Going forward, the AWIP has been involved in OSINT training for law enforcement, to replicate this success for animals worldwide - training we at OSINT Industries also provide.
In the Philippines, the AWIP has secured several arrests for animal abuse, and work against the illegal dog-meat trade has led to the rescue of many traumatised dogs. Meanwhile, the AWIP has been instrumental in saving abused breeding dogs from mistreatment, particularly in Poland.
For further information on the AWIP’s work, visit the following:
https://www.facebook.com/awiporguk
https://www.linkedin.com/company/awiporguk/
To support, the AWIP welcomes donations here:
https://donorbox.org/join-awip
