Simone Biles’ New Pup Sparks Old Fight Over Ear Cropping

The Moment

Olympic legend Simone Biles and her NFL husband Jonathan Owens just brought home a new Doberman puppy – and somehow, the internet made it a referendum on dog ears, ethics, and cancel culture.

In a recent report from a sports-focused celebrity news site, the breeder behind their pup, Regal Empire Dobermans owner William Regal, says he’s getting death threats after photos showed the dog with cropped ears and a docked tail. Animal-rights activists and plenty of fans slammed the couple for buying a dog that had undergone those cosmetic procedures, while the breeder insists it’s routine and done by licensed veterinarians.

His stance in the report is crystal clear: ear cropping and tail docking are, in his words, “common practice,” done for health and safety reasons, and neither he nor Simone has “done anything wrong.”

The Take

I’ll say what a lot of people over 40 are quietly thinking: ear-cropped Dobermans have been around forever, and many of us grew up seeing them on TV and in the neighborhood without blinking. But the culture has shifted – hard – and Simone just stepped straight into the crossfire.

There are really two conversations happening here:

One is about animal welfare. Major vet groups, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, have long said cosmetic ear cropping and tail docking are generally medically unnecessary when done just for looks. Many countries ban or heavily restrict it. On the flip side, breeders like Regal argue it can prevent tail injuries, ear hematomas, or bites, especially in working or guard dogs. That debate is old, complicated, and honestly deserves more than a screaming match in the comments.

The second conversation is about celebrity responsibility. When a random guy in Ohio buys a cropped-eared Doberman, no one trends on X about it. When the greatest gymnast of all time does? It becomes a brand issue, a values test, and a flashpoint for every frustration people have about rich folks and their pets.

But then there’s a third, uglier layer: death threats. You can think ear cropping is cruel, you can unfollow Simone, you can decide you’ll never buy from a breeder like that – all fair game. But threatening someone’s life over a dog’s ears? That’s not activism; that’s harassment in a Halloween costume.

This whole thing feels like watching an old debate get thrown into a social media pressure cooker. Imagine arguing about whether shag carpeting is tacky – except now, one side says it’s abuse, the other says it’s tradition, and someone ends up calling the cops. That’s where we are with ear cropping.

Simone hasn’t, as of that report, delivered a big public statement breaking down her thinking. And that might actually be smart. Because anything she posts – apology, explanation, or “mind your business” – will just feed the algorithm another meal.

If there’s a sane middle ground, it probably looks like this: acknowledge that a lot of people now see these procedures as unnecessary and outdated, listen to the experts, and agree that whatever your stance, no one should be terrorized over a dog’s cosmetic surgery.

Receipts

Confirmed:

Simone Biles’ Dog Breeder Claims He’s Getting Death Threats For Ear Cropping Pup https://t.co/o3yGL1PeKv pic.twitter.com/AmeexBjMzV

— TMZ (@TMZ) December 20, 2025

• A sports-focused celebrity news site reported on December 20, 2025, that Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens purchased a Doberman puppy from Regal Empire Dobermans, and the dog’s ears were cropped and tail docked.
• In that report, breeder William Regal says licensed veterinarians in the U.S. performed the procedures and calls them “common practice.”
• Regal states he’s facing serious backlash, including efforts to get his business shut down, after animal-rights supporters and fans criticized the cropping and docking.
• Animal-rights group PETA has long publicly opposed ear cropping and tail docking as cosmetic and cruel, well before this incident.
• The American Veterinary Medical Association has an established policy opposing cosmetic ear cropping and tail docking in dogs when done solely for appearance.

Unverified or One-Sided Claims:

• Regal’s claim that he has received “death threats” has been reported based on his statement; those individual messages have not been independently verified.
• His assertion that ear cropping and tail docking are primarily preventive for injuries and medical issues reflects his perspective and that of some breeders, not a universal veterinary consensus.

Backstory (For Casual Readers)

Simone Biles, now 28 and already a four-time Olympic gold medalist, is one of the most famous athletes on the planet. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, is a professional football player who has spent time in the NFL. The couple has shared their lives – and their pets – on social media for years, building a carefully curated, relatable newlywed image.

Dobermans, the sleek black-and-tan dogs you’ve seen in movies guarding mansions and warehouses, have traditionally been shown with short, pointed ears and stub tails. That look usually comes from surgical cropping and docking when they’re puppies. While legal in many parts of the U.S., those procedures are banned or restricted in much of Europe and increasingly viewed as outdated by younger pet owners and animal-rights advocates.

So when fresh photos of Biles and Owens’ new, sharply cropped Doberman popped up online, the internet didn’t just see a cute puppy. It saw a very modern question: what does it say about you, in 2025, if you still choose that look?

What’s Next

Short term, keep an eye on whether Simone or Jonathan issue a more detailed statement – whether that’s a defense of their choice, a promise to rethink future decisions, or a quiet pivot to posting nothing but dog cuddles and training videos.

Brands tied to animal welfare or lifestyle may also be watching the reaction. Simone is a major endorser, and while this isn’t a career-ending scandal, public sentiment around pets and cruelty can move fast, especially among younger fans.

On the policy side, debates over ear cropping and tail docking aren’t going anywhere. Stories like this usually give fresh ammunition to advocates pushing for tighter rules, and to breeders who argue for preserving traditional looks and working-dog standards.

For the rest of us, this might be the moment to ask a vet, not the internet, what’s actually in a dog’s best interest – and to remember that you can strongly disagree with a practice without turning the person on the other end into a villain in your personal action movie.

Question for you: Do you see ear-cropped dogs now as harmless tradition, clear cruelty, or something in the gray area that depends on context?