NFL player Aaron Donald spent this summer doing two things: negotiating his return to the Los Angeles Rams, and arguing in family court that his ex’s French bulldog was a bigger threat to their kids than anything he’d face on a football field. Usually, the pet drama in a breakup is a fight over who keeps the dog. This time, the dog may have had opinions about who kept the kids.
Here’s what reportedly happened according to Yahoo Sports. In late July, Donald filed for sole physical custody of his 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, asking that the arrangement stay in place until his ex, Jaelynn Blakey, permanently removed her French bulldog from her home. Donald alleged the dog had bitten his daughter on the mouth back in 2023, later bitten Blakey’s niece, and bitten his son’s face in March 2026, and he reportedly included photos of the injuries with his filing. Blakey pushed back hard, describing the dog as a longtime family pet and her emotional support animal, denying it was dangerous and that she’d coached the kids to keep quiet about it.
The case never went to trial. The two sides signed off on an agreement: the dog left permanently, and the family’s existing co-parenting schedule stayed put.
Can a pet actually swing a custody case?
Not directly, and not in Washington. The state doesn’t split dogs like assets, and a family pet has no place in a parenting plan the way a residential schedule or holiday rotation does (we’ve written before about why Washington law has no such thing as “dogimony”).
In any case, that doesn’t make a dangerous animal legally irrelevant. Washington’s parenting plan standards are built around a child’s physical and emotional safety, and anything in a household that threatens that safety — whether a person, a condition, or an animal — can become relevant evidence.
So what actually gets a judge’s attention?
Modifying an existing parenting plan in Washington isn’t easy. Under RCW 26.09.260, a parent has to show a substantial change in circumstances and prove the requested change serves the child’s best interest. One recognized path is arguing the child’s current environment is detrimental to their health or safety.
Before a judge even hears the merits, though, the requesting parent has to clear a preliminary hurdle called “adequate cause,” and Washington courts take a dim view of bare accusations, as the state’s own court forms make clear when they spell out what a modification petition has to include. What they want is documented, specific proof, such as:
- Dates and a pattern of incidents, not a single vague complaint
- Photos, medical records, or vet records supporting the claim
- Witness accounts from people other than the parents themselves
That’s likely why Donald’s filing reportedly came with photographs. A judge weighing a request to upend a custody arrangement wants something firmer than “the dog seems scary.”
It’s also worth noting how this dispute actually ended: not with a trial, but with a signed agreement. That’s the norm, not the exception. Most disputes over a supposedly unsafe household, whether the issue is a pet, a new partner, or a messy living situation, get resolved through negotiation once the parties see the evidence laid out.
One more thing worth flagging for anyone tempted to swing for the fences is that Washington judges can order a parent to pay the other side’s attorney’s fees if a modification request turns out to have been filed in bad faith. Blakey’s declaration disputing the danger and defending the dog is a reminder that these filings get contested, and an exaggerated safety claim can cost more than it’s worth.
No dog was harmed, but a legal standard got tested
The takeaway isn’t “get rid of the dog.” It’s that Washington courts care about documented, credible safety concerns. That standard doesn't shift depending on the source of the concern — a dog, a person, or anything else in the home. So if something in your co-parent's household genuinely worries you, it still needs to be documented and credible to matter in court.
If you’re dealing with a parenting plan dispute of your own, dog-related or otherwise, LaGrandeur & Williams can help you understand what Washington law requires and build a case that holds up. Contact our family law team to talk through your options.