Nikki Phillippi returns to YouTube following dog euthanasia controversy

Georgina Smith
Nikki Phillippi sits in her car

YouTuber Nikki Phillippi has returned to YouTube in her first video since she and her husband Dan came under fire in May for putting down their pet dog, Bowser.

The internet was outraged on May 4, after couple Nikki & Dan Phillippi uploaded a video titled, ‘We have some really sad news,’ to YouTube.

In the video, they explained that they had made the decision to put their dog, Bowser, to sleep. After the dog bit their son, Logan, the couple explained that they “decided it was time for Bowser to pass peacefully on.”

While Nikki turned the comments off on her YouTube video, many people found other ways to communicate their anger via her Instagram page, with comments such as: “Some dogs can’t live with kids but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be allowed to live.”

Nikki and Dan Phillippi put down dog Bowser
The couple’s decision caused outrage online.

The pair were even publicly called out by popular creators like Jeffree Star and Jaclyn Hill over the decision.

On July 14, Nikki then uploaded her first video since the controversy erupted to give people an update on what’s been going on since then.

“So many people’s judgments of us, and where our headspace was, and our heart, and our decision making and everything, was just so inaccurate, it was jarring,” she said.

“Being canceled is crazy. We lost all of our work as of right now, for the rest of the year. A large portion of our income has been this kind of family business on the internet, and sponsorship has been a big thing for us. And the mob kind of won in that sense, we lost all of our work.”

Nikki went on to explain that she wants to continue to look back on her life to “learn and grow,” adding: “Dan and I are people that want to learn. We want to learn from our mistakes, we want to continue to grow and change.”

With comments turned off on YouTube and restricted on Instagram, it’s been less easy for people to share their thoughts on the couple’s return, but there’s no doubt it will have divided many.

About The Author

Georgina was formerly an entertainment writer for Dexerto. She covered all aspects of influencer culture on TikTok and more, including creators such as Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae. She also wrote about hit reality shows such as Love Island and Below Deck.