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Vicky Collins-Natrass | 07752912122

RESPONSE TO THE EDWARD FOUNDATION INTERVIEW ON "THIS MORNING" - ITV - FRIDAY 9th JANUARY 2026

The Bulldog Breed Council are disappointed to see the interview on Good Morning today. All public discussions should be balanced to allow viewers to create an informed opinion. Sadly this did not today.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss the difference between fully health tested bulldogs , bred for health as a priority, using the Royal Kennel Club Standard as a blueprint, and, dogs purposely bred against the standard to create the new or latest fad.

The true Bulldog, the British Icon, bred by our members, bears no resemblance to many dogs bred to excess by unscrupulous and uneducated breeders.

We work very closely with Bulldog Rescue , they have been in existence for almost 50 years, and registered charity for 20 years, they have more experience than any in these matters.

Please read this statement from Tania Holmes CEO of Bulldog Rescue and a very valued member of The Bulldog Breed Council.

Rescue by it’s very nature will always deal with the worst bred dogs on the planet. The breeders that take care to breed healthy dogs that resemble the breed standard hardly ever find their pups in need of a rescue place and those that do are generally very healthy, easy to place dogs that require very little, if any veterinary intervention. Until such time that the Breed Standard is seen as the cure and not the cause, badly bred dogs such as the one that appeared on This Morning will continue to flood rescues right across the UK.

However, to say that all bulldogs suffer is a blanket assumption and not based on fact. To assume a bulldog that has been bred properly suffers at all, let alone on the scale of a badly bred one is a presumption made by those who have only ever experienced back yard bred dogs and never been in the company of one that can live a normal life.

From a rescue perspective, it has become very clear over the last few years that there are 2 types of bulldog breeder (and dog breeders in general). The one that breeds to the standard, undertakes health testing and properly screens the families the dog is sold to; alongside those that breed for colour, for profit or because they think it’s a good idea. As a direct result all bulldogs are being painted with the “can’t breath, can’t walk, can’t survive” narrative which is unfair on the ones that can and who are never recognised.

There was clearly an agenda being pushed by the vet, and the poor ladies had no idea how to respond. Maybe it would have also been an idea if he could have acknowledged that costs are mainly due to corporate vets that overcharge rather than dogs that need vets in order to survive. It was very unfair of This Morning to allow an ambush on such a scale when all they wanted to do was highlight the seedier side of dog breeding and the result on dogs that clearly are suffering.

The bulldog was not bred to look like a human baby and when bred properly will not “suffer”, will be able to walk a circuit and run freely whilst breathing perfectly normally. Until such time that the media and the veterinary profession accept that not all bulldogs suffer and get behind those that are working so very hard to change the perspective and the health of this breed it doesn’t stand a chance and that in itself is very sad – especially when our National Iconic Breed is so close to being fixed and yet so close to becoming extinct.

As the oldest recognised dog breed in the world, it really is very, very sad to see that so many vets are still refuse to acknowledge the work done behind the scenes to make this breed healthy, active dogs.

RESPONSE TO PETA’S APPEARANCE ON GOOD MORNING BRITAIN – 3 AUGUST 2023

The Bulldog Breed Council has worked with the Royal Kennel Club and The University of Cambridge to educate breeders on the importance of health testing. The Bulldog Breed Council’s Health Scheme was developed before any of negative media releases in 2003, because the clubs and breeders wanted to improve the health of dogs. The Bulldog Breed Council is continually working with the Royal Kennel Club, we have recently changed our breed standard to emphasise further that no exaggeration will be tolerated. Bulldogs bred to the breed standard should not be exaggerated or unhealthy. The breathing assessment developed by University of Cambridge has already and will continue to improve their health when used by all breeders. We don’t believe stunts from Peta, or calls to ban or ‘cancel’ Bulldogs, will result in any positive change for these popular dogs.

“The reality is that media and celebrity culture sadly drives demand for a particularly exaggerated and non breed standard colours in flat-faced dogs, which can lead to serious health issues such as difficulties breathing, and we, alongside all other members of the Brachycephalic Working Group, meaningfully urge people to ‘stop and think’ before buying a brachycephalic dog from unethical breeders that do not breed to the standard or health test. The Royal Kennel Club provide breeders with evidence-based tools and resources to protect and improve dog health. We believe this, alongside our ongoing research, evidence-based health initiatives and collaboration with vets, the Kennel Club and academics, will continue to achieve further health improvements for future and current generations of these dogs. Demonising the breed and their owners will only worsen the issue.

We, The Bulldog Breed Council would welcome further education for puppy buyers on what to expect from a breeder, where to buy a puppy and why the breed standard should be adhered to.

The information given by PETA on Good Morning Britain was not factual:

1. Bulldog puppies heads are not bigger than any other breed and the widest point of a new born puppy is the chest.

2. Bulldogs can and do mate naturally

3. Bulldogs can and do self whelp their puppies.

The Bulldog Breed Council were asked to provide a spokesperson and a dog for this programme with 19 hours notice, unfortunately the people that have knowledge of the previous discussions on this subject could not travel at such short notice.

Bulldog Breed Council Press Office

https://www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk/i/press-office

4 August 2023