Cheryl Burke and her dog, Ysabella.Photo:Cheryl Burke/Instagram
Cheryl Burke/Instagram
Cheryl Burkeis grateful for her furry friend.
TheDancing with the Starsalum, 39, recently launched the podcastSex, Lies, and Spray Tans. Whilediscussing the new project— which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the celebrity dance competition — with PEOPLE, Burke took time to gush about how her dog Ysabella has supported her since her divorce fromMatthew Lawrence.
“Oh, my gosh, I just love her,” Burke tells PEOPLE exclusively about her beloved French bulldog. “Honestly, I don’t know what I would do. Obviously, our time, every single person and animal’s time here on this planet is not necessarily forever. Nothing’s forever. But my dog has been my rock.”
Cheryl Burke attends the United Ukrainian Ballet performance of “Giselle” at the Segerstrom Center For The Arts on June 29, 2023 in Costa Mesa, California.Corine Solberg/Getty
Corine Solberg/Getty
Burke says that Ysabella “literally thinks I’m a dog” and “I might have to get another one, but I am hesitant to do that at the moment, as I just moved, and I’m trying to get my bearings as well.”
“But she’s amazing. Dogs are so intuitive. We could be like that, too, if we just took away the constant thoughts that are like our brain,” she added, noting that communicating with Ysabella requires “no words are needed, other than a few barks.”
In January, Burke revealed that she wasawarded full custody of Ysabellafollowing herdivorce from Lawrence, 42, posting a photo of her pup onInstagramto celebrate the news.
Cheryl Burke and her dog, Ysabella.Cheryl Burke/Instagram
“Officially a FULL TIME dog mom… 2023, we’re off to a great start!” Burke wrote alongside a picture of herself holding Ysabella at sunset near the ocean.
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Burke and Lawrence separated in early 2022 after three years of marriage. The divorce wasfinalized that September, but the former couple got caught up in a legal dispute over the custody of Ysabella.
That October, the dancer became emotional during an interview withEntertainment Tonightabout the custody battle. “Oh,I’m gonna cry,” she told the outlet. “It’s just really sad, you know.”
“It sucks because, for me, it’s just cruel,” she added. “She’s my dog, andit was a gift from my ex, and I hope that this soon, you know, dies down, and he calls it off. Because you’re taking, like, my daughter away from me.”
Before resolving the custody battle over Ysbella, Burke shared how the French bulldoghelped her maintain her sobriety.
source: people.com
