“Donald is taking away the family...": Aaron Donald’s custody dispute takes unexpected turn over children’s safety

A custody dispute involving former Los Angeles Rams defensive star Aaron Donald and his ex-girlfriend Jaelynn Blakey has ended with an agreement after concerns were raised about the safety of their children around a family pet. The legal battle centered on a French bulldog that Donald alleged had bitten both of their children. The case also highlighted the difficult decisions parents can face when family pets become part of custody disagreements.Aaron Donald raises concerns over French bulldog and children’s safetyDonald took the matter to court in late July, seeking temporary sole physical custody of the two children he shares with Blakey, a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son.His filing focused in part on the French bulldog at Blakey’s Los Angeles home. Donald alleged that the dog had bitten both children on separate occasions. According to his court documents, the first incident happened in September 2023, when the dog allegedly bit his daughter near her mouth.A second incident reportedly occurred in March 2026, when Donald said the dog bit his son in the face.Donald claimed that after both incidents, Blakey had agreed to find another home for the dog. He later alleged that the animal returned to her Los Angeles residence without his knowledge.The former NFL star also claimed the children eventually told him the dog was back and alleged that Blakey instructed them “not to run [their] mouths” about its return.Blakey disputed those allegations in her own declaration. She maintained that the French bulldog was not dangerous and said her children were not afraid of it.Jaelynn Blakey defends family pet as custody dispute is settledFor Blakey, the disagreement was about more than an animal. She described the French bulldog as a longtime part of the family and said it had emotional importance to her and her children.“Donald is taking away the family pet who lived with us since 10 weeks old,” Blakey wrote. “He does this under the guise of protecting the children and their safety but that is not his true intent.”She also denied telling the children to conceal the dog from their father.“This dog has been my emotional support through hard times, and is loved by my children,” she wrote. “This request takes away not only [Donald’s children’s] pet but my youngest daughter’s pet as well. My youngest daughter has lived full time with our dog and it will be devastating to her to lose him.”The dispute ultimately ended without a change to the parents’ existing custody arrangement. A court order filed on August 3 stated that Blakey agreed to permanently remove the French bulldog from her home.The legal development comes as Donald prepares for another chapter in his NFL career. After previously retiring, he announced his return to the Los Angeles Rams on August 30. His wife, Erica Donald, reacted to the news on X, writing, “I let him out the house y'all 🤣💙🫶🏾,” as the defensive tackle prepares to return to the field.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.