Actor and model Sam Asghari has taken a prominent stand against the controversial practice of dog ear cropping, collaborating with PETA on a new campaign. This initiative aims to raise public awareness about the cruel nature of otoplasty and pressure institutions like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show to prohibit the participation of dogs that have undergone this procedure. Asghari's personal experience with his Doberman, Porsha, underscores his commitment to advocating for animal welfare and challenging cosmetic surgeries that inflict unnecessary pain and health risks on canines.
Sam Asghari's Advocacy for Animal Welfare
On January 23, 2026, Sam Asghari officially launched a compelling campaign with PETA, featuring him alongside his Doberman, Porsha. The campaign's central message, boldly displayed with Asghari shirtless, states: "Listen Up, Never Crop Your Dog's Ears." In an accompanying video, Asghari articulates the harsh realities of ear cropping, describing it as the severe cutting of a dog's ear, a highly sensitive organ, followed by taping to force an unnatural shape. This procedure, commonly performed on breeds such as Dobermans, Great Danes, boxers, and pit bulls, is solely for aesthetic purposes rather than health benefits.
Concurrently, Asghari addressed a letter to Donald Sturz, the president of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. His letter passionately appeals for the show, scheduled from January 31 to February 3 in New York City, to implement a ban on all dogs with cropped ears. Asghari shared his personal journey with Porsha, a Doberman he welcomed five years prior, explicitly choosing not to subject her to ear cropping. He expressed his dismay at the sight of dogs with mutilated ears, emphasizing that such a cosmetic procedure causes real suffering without any benefit to the animal. Asghari believes that by allowing cropped-eared dogs, Westminster inadvertently condones this inhumane practice, influencing public perception and perpetuating harm. He urged the Kennel Club to set a precedent by removing cropped ears from breed standards and excluding them from competition, thereby safeguarding dogs and celebrating their natural state.
Sam Asghari's active participation in this PETA campaign and his direct appeal to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show highlight a growing awareness and advocacy for animal rights. His actions challenge long-standing traditions in dog breeding and showing, sparking an important conversation about ethical treatment versus aesthetic standards for companion animals. This movement suggests a broader shift in societal values, prioritizing the well-being and natural state of animals over human-imposed cosmetic alterations, and could inspire further changes within the competitive dog world and beyond.
