Fact Check

Bill Murray Didn't Say You Can Always Trust a Dog but Not a Human

A fake quote attributed to Bill Murray about trusting dogs instead of humans is frequently shared on the internet.

Published Feb. 2, 2016

Claim:
Bill Murray said that you can always trust a dog but not a human.

This quote, ostensibly from comedian Bill Murray, has been circulating around the internet for several years. While the meme has been shared with various photos and on several different platforms, there is no evidence that the comedian actually uttered the above-quoted phrase.

The quote "I’m suspicious of people who don’t like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn't like a person," was a popular meme long before Murray's name was attached to it. While the exact origins of the phrase are unknown, the earliest mention of the phrase on Twitter that we could uncover was posted in October 2011:

Screenshot 2016-02-02 at 3.45.09 PM

Murray's name didn't become attached to the phrase until November 2014, when it was posted by a parody account:

Screenshot 2016-02-02 at 3.46.54 PM

The @BillMurray Twitter account makes it clear that it is not run by the comedian:

I AM NOT BILL MURRAY. This is a parody account. This account is not in any way affiliated with the actor Bill Murray

While the above-displayed quote has been attributed to Bill Murray on IMDB, The Daily Quotes, and dozens of social media memes, there is no record of the comedian actually uttering the above-displayed phrase.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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