An examination of the ultra wealthy who chose paws over people
A certain caliber of extraordinarily wealthy people who, when staring down their mortality, reach an interesting conclusion: their pets have shown more loyalty and integrity than their actual relatives. And honestly? The logic checks out.
A Maltese has never contested a trust. A tabby cat won’t sell stories to the tabloids. Arguably, the practice of leaving massive fortunes to animals reveals something fascinating about wealth, family dysfunction, and what happens when you have enough money to do whatever you want.
These 10 cases aren’t just rich people being quirky. They’re carefully orchestrated estate plans that say a lot about power, control and some seriously complicated family situations.
Leona Helmsley’s Trouble: $12 Million in Perpetuity
The hotel magnate known as the “Queen of Mean” stayed true to form in her final wishes. Her Maltese, Trouble, got $12 million in 2007, while two of her grandchildren got nothing.
Courts eventually knocked the lapdog’s inheritance down to $2 million. But she was still able to spend her remaining years in climate-controlled luxury with a full security detail.
Gunther VI: A $400-Plus Million Canine Conglomerate
This German Shepherd supposedly inherited his fortune from his predecessor, Gunther III, which received the riches from German Countess Karlotta Leibenstein in 1992.
Gunther VI’s trust owns mansions around the world, has purchased real estate from Madonna and employs a full staff. Recent investigations suggest it is an elaborate tax shelter, which makes much more sense.
Tommaso: From Roman Streets to Roman Villa ($13 Million)
When 94-year-old Italian property heiress Maria Assunta died in 2011, she left everything to Tommaso, a stray cat she’d rescued.
Italian law won’t let cats inherit directly, so her nurse became the trustee. Tommaso went from scrounging for scraps to living in a Roman villa.
Blackie: Guinness-Certified Affluence ($12.5 Million)
In 1988, British antiques dealer Ben Rea completely bypassed his human relatives and split his fortune among three cat charities. Having bequeathed the majority of his fortune to Blackie, the last survivor of his 15 cats, Rea left instructions for the charities to care for the cat until his last day.
Blackie was officially certified by Guinness World Records as the wealthiest cat in history. That formal record still stands.
Conchita: Designer-Clad Heiress ($3 Million)
Miami socialite Gail Posner’s Chihuahua, Conchita, got the full package: a $3 million trust, a mansion and an extensive designer wardrobe. When her son challenged the will, the courts sided with the dog. Conchita’s collar collection alone costs more than most people spend on clothes in a lifetime.
Gigoo: Agricultural Aristocracy ($15 Million)
In 2001, publisher Miles Blackwell left his fortune to Gigoo, his pet chicken. Yes, a chicken. A trust covered Gigoo’s care, with the remainder going to charity.
Tobey Rimes: Depression-Era Decadence ($80 Million)
Ella Wendel, the last surviving member of a wealthy New York real estate family, left her standard poodle, Tobey, a fortune in 1931. It was a staggering amount, even for today; we’re talking serious money, adjusted for inflation. The poodle had multiple servants and lived like royalty.
Frankie: Compact but Commanding ($2 Million)
After her 2008 inheritance, socialite Betty Sabo’s 5-pound Yorkshire terrier ended up controlling more assets than most small businesses. Little Frankie’s $2 million trust kept him living large in a Park Avenue apartment.
Kalu: Simian Wealth ($90 Million)
Legendary animal lover Patricia Cavendish O’Neill reportedly left her entire fortune to Kalu, her pet chimpanzee. The details are fuzzy and hard to verify, but if it’s true, there was a chimp out there wealthier than some small nations.
Tina and Kate: Border Collie Beneficiaries ($1 Million)
British businessman Ray Bozorth set up a million-dollar trust in 2011 to ensure his two border collies would live comfortably under professional care. His human family? Well, let’s just say things got complicated.
The Larger Picture
These stories sit at the weird intersection of deep love, obscene wealth and some truly messy family dynamics. Could this money have funded scholarships, built hospitals, or fed thousands? Absolutely.
But they also represent people who were exercising what perhaps is the purest form of freedom available to the ultra wealthy. The ability to say, “This is my money, and I’ll leave it to whomever—or whatever—I damn well please, regardless of what society expects.”
