Heartbreaking. Cheryl Burke is not handling her and ex-husband Matthew Lawrence’s battle for their dog, Ysabella, well following their split.
“Oh, I’m gonna cry,” Burke, 38, told Entertainment Tonight on Monday, October 10, when asked about the ongoing custody case for her pooch. “It’s just really sad, you know.”
The Dancing With the Stars pro was fighting back tears as she addressed the situation, saying, “It sucks because, for me, it’s just cruel.”
Burke, who split from the 42-year-old Brotherly Love alum earlier this year, noted that the French bulldog was “a gift from my ex” and therefore her pet.
“I hope that this soon, you know, dies down, and he calls it off,” she said while getting emotional. “Because you’re taking, like, my daughter away from me.”
The choreographer married Lawrence in May 2019 after dating on and off for more than a decade. News broke in February that Burke filed for divorce after less than three years of marriage.
In court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the dancer cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the dissolution of their union and cited the date of separation as January 7.
“I know I have always said I’m an open book with you guys, I do strive to be, and in writing this I’ve realized there really isn’t an easy way to announce that my marriage is ending,” Burke shared via Instagram in February. “I hope you can understand that I will not be commenting any further at this time and am asking for understanding and privacy. Thank you all for all the kind words and support you’ve given me.”
Last month, the Dance Moms alum and the Jumping Ship actor finalized their divorce. The pair honored their prenuptial agreement, which stated that Burke will keep her DWTS royalties and earnings while Lawrence will retain all of his own respective royalties.
While the duo agreed to waive any spousal support, the court documents revealed that they would continue to dispute ownership over their dog.
“I am still really hurt by the whole situation because that is my dog. Ysabella is my daughter; I am a dog mom,” Burke told her “Burke in the Game” podcast listeners on October 3, explaining that she and Lawrence are set to go to court in January to resolve the matter. “I couldn’t even imagine my life without her. I could just cry right now.”
