Olympics icon Simone Biles and her NFL husband Jonathan Owens have been slammed by animal rights activists after allegedly chopping off their puppy’s ears in an ‘excruciatingly painful’ aesthetic procedure.
Biles and Owens added a fourth dog to their growing family this week, buying a doberman from a breeder who has supplied pets to a number of other big-name celebrities.
In an image posted to social media, though, it appeared the dog had undergone a cropping procedure which has sparked the fury of animal lovers.
In a letter seen by Daily Mail, nonprofit organization PETA wrote to the couple to share its anger at the decision by Biles and Owens.
‘We were stunned when we saw you purchased a dog from a breeder, and judging from the comments online, we weren’t alone,’ the letter began. ‘Then you went another step further and had the puppy’s ears chopped off?
‘Ear cropping is excruciatingly painful and, as cruel as it sounds, permanently disfiguring them for no reason other than to achieve a certain look. Many veterinarians refuse to perform the procedure, which has been banned in many European countries.
‘Dogs love us just the way we are – the very least we can do is return the favor and never subject them to mutilation surgeries like the one your new puppy endured.’
The breeder company – Regal Empire Doberman – also received a backlash on social media, with the founder even biting back at one user, who wrote: ‘Why do you still dock the ears? It’s cruelty and purely cosmetic for human enjoyment.’
In response, and seemingly confirming that the procedure had taken place, Regal Empire Doberman’s account wrote: ‘ Because I can …. Next question.’
PETA’s letter to Biles and Owens continued: ‘As long as people continue to buy dogs when so many await loving homes, we will always be in a homeless animal crisis.
‘Imagine what it’s like to work in a shelter—agonizing every second about the flood of animals coming in and working tirelessly to try and find homes for those who fill cages—only to see someone of your popularity and influence posing for a breeder’s Instagram page.
‘It’s simple math: for every dog purchased, a dog in a shelter loses their chance at a home. If you were set on a Doberman, there are many rescues that would have happily worked with you to adopt one in need…
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‘We hope next time you’ll be kind and adopt one of the millions of animals dreaming of a better life. Thank you. Sincerely, Kasey Bendoni (PETA)’
Daily Mail has reached out to Biles’ representatives for a response to the allegations.
Biles and Owens are understood to have four dogs in their family now, and the pair split their time between Texas – where they have built a stunning mansion from scratch – and Chicago – where he is currently playing for the Bears.
The couple, who have been married since 2023, share French bulldogs Lilo and Rambo, while Owens’ English bulldog Zeus (who he owned before they were dating) has also become part of their family.
