An elderly Chinese woman gave away her $2.8 million fortune to cats and dogs on behalf of her adult children because the cats and dogs never visited her while she was with them. I decided to leave it in.
A woman living in Shanghai (surname: Liu) changed her will after her children allegedly ignored her in her old age, even though her pets provided companionship and comfort.
Legal issues in China prevent direct bequests to animals, so a local veterinary hospital was appointed as the estate administrator. South China Morning Post,Quote zonlan news, Said.
Liu wanted to leave his entire inheritance to his pet, but that's not legal in China. She was also reportedly angry at her descendants for not coming to visit her even when she was sick.
Liu's exact age is not known. Reports referred to her as an “elderly” woman.
“There are other options to resolve this issue,” Chen Kai, an official at the country's will registration center headquarters in Beijing, told the media outlet.
“Ms Liu's current will is unilateral and we would have advised her to appoint a trusted person to oversee the veterinary hospital to ensure the pets are properly cared for,” it added.
The story reportedly sparked an online discussion about family dynamics and inheritance practices in China.
On the other hand, this is not the first time that humans have left pets with huge inheritances, making them rich. In particular, the legal and practical aspects of such bequests may differ.
One such case is that of hotel mogul Leona Helmsley, who, when she died in 2007, put $12m (£9.4m) into a trust fund for the well-being of a Maltese dog named Trouble. I bequeathed it.
However, the estate attracted much public attention and criticism, and the amount was later reduced by a judge to $2 million (£1.57 million).
Another German Shepherd named Gunther IV was considered one of the richest dogs in the world. According to Guinness World Records, German countess Carlotta Liebenstein has died, leaving King Gunther IV with a fortune worth millions. This story was also chronicled in a Netflix documentary series. Gunter's Millions.
In 2010, fashion designer Alexander McQueen allocated a significant portion of his $20 million (£15.7 million) fortune to his dogs. 'Rich Dogs Of Instagram' documents the luxurious lives some dogs lead.