It’s the update we’ve all been waiting for in the Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence custody case. We finally know who gets to keep the dog. Back in September 2022, the couple finalized their divorce. Compared to most reality TV divorces, theirs was pretty tame.
They stuck to their prenuptial agreement. There was no spousal support. The only thing lingering was a custody battle over their French bulldog, Ysabella. And now we finally know who gets to keep her.
As reported by US Weekly, court documents reveal that the Dancing with the Stars alum received full custody of their dog Ysabella. She shared her feelings on her Burke in the Game podcast while the custody battle raged on. “Ysabella is my daughter; I am a dog mom. I couldn’t even imagine my life without her. I could just cry right now,” Cheryl said.
The dog was originally a gift from Matthew. The pup was intended to be a test to help the two get a feel for their parenting skills. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the two decided to wait to have real kids and focused on their pets.
However, their relationship didn’t survive the pandemic. They cited “irreconcilable” differences as the reason for their split. They officially separated in January 2022. So, finalizing this puppy custody battle was long overdue.
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With the court’s ruling, Matthew has agreed to give up any documentation or data about the dog. Cheryl has full ownership. To some, it might sound silly to spend time and money in court battling it out over a pet. But it sounds like Ysabella was more than just a dog to Cheryl. She was a source of emotional support.
Last year, Cheryl wrote an essay for US Weekly detailing how she managed to navigate her and Matthew’s public divorce, her exit from Dancing with the Stars, and her ongoing sobriety. In the essay, she name-dropped Ysabella as a source of support.
“I have to give credit to my dog Ysabella for keeping me going a lot of the time,” Cheryl wrote in the essay. “Yep, I’m a full-blown ‘dog mom’ and not ashamed to say it!” She continued, “Going through a public divorce, there have been days where I wanted to just stay in bed and hide, and the idea of numbing my emotions with a vodka soda can sound pretty appealing. But Ysabella has tons of energy and gets me outside to go for walks multiple times a day, she loves me to play with her and I honestly can’t imagine life without her by my side 24/7,”Cheryl added.
Thank goodness the courts have ruled in Cheryl’s favor, and she can be blissful with her pup Ysabella 24/7. Could you imagine if the courts said she had to share custody of the dog with Matthew and they had to come up with visitation rights?
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CHERYL AND MATTHEW’S CUSTODY BATTLE OVER THEIR DOG? DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPPORTIVE WORDS FOR CHERYL AS SHE CLOSES THIS CHAPTER IN HER LIFE?
[Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic]
