People make end-of-life plans and decide who their estate goes too after they’re gone. However, some pets have inherited vast sums of money as set aside by their owners. Here are some animals that have – or are going to – receive a fortune.
Conchita (Chihuahua): $3 million from the late Gail Posner
Posner, a Miami heiress, left her Chihuahua a $3 million trust when she died in 2010…along with her Miami Beach mansion, which was valued at $8.3 million. Her son contested the will, claiming his mother was drugged by aides who wanted to control her estate.
Gunther III (German Shepherd): $80 million from the late Carlotta Liebenstein
The beloved German Shepherd inherited $80 million when his owner, Austrian Countess Carlotta Liebenstein, left her entire fortune to the pooch when she died in 1991. Gunther III passed a month after his master, and the fortune went to Gunther IV, one of III’s pups.
Lauren and Sunny (Springer Spaniel sisters), Sadie (Cocker Spaniel), and Lyla and Luke (Golden Retrievers): $30 million from Oprah Winfrey
Oprah loves and has owned several dogs, so it’s no shocker that she’s set aside and estimated $30 million for their care (the mighty O’s net worth is estimated to be $2.7 billion). Several of her dogs were adopted from various shelters.
Pontiac (Golden Retriever): $5 million from Betty White
An animal-rights activist, the 90-year-old Emmy-winning actress has left $5 million to her beloved dog and other pets. White had a recent resurgence in popularity, thanks to a Snickers candy-bar commercial during the Super Bowl in 2010.
Tommaso (cat): $13 million from the late Maria Assunta
Talk about rags to riches, Tommaso, a 4-year-old former alley cat, was left $13 million by his rescuer. Assunta inherited $13 million from her late husband, a successful builder, and left it all to the cat when she passed away in 2011 at age 94.
Various dogs (different breeds): $4 million from the late Majel Barrett-Roddenberry
Barrett-Roddenberry was a minor television star and widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. When she died in 2008 at age 76, she left $4 million to her dogs; she also left an additional $1 million to the dog’s caretaker, who also gets to live in her mansion while caring for the animals.
