I’m doing this petition in order to try and change the way media report dog attacks. Often the media will use headlines that are very damaging such as "XL Bully attacks," but when reading the article, the breed of dog is not actually confirmed and is suspected. Currently more than ever, this is damaging to the bully community who are already facing tough media scrutiny without false or inaccurate news articles being in circulation.

Speculative reporting can lead to unwarranted fear and discrimination against specific breeds, exacerbating negative stereotypes and potentially influencing policy decisions based on misinformation. According to a study by The Journal of Forensic Sciences (2019), breed identification by visual assessment alone can be incorrect up to 87% of the time.

We need responsible journalism that relies on verified facts rather than speculation. Sign this petition to urge UK media outlets to stop speculating on dog breeds when reporting attacks!