Foreign Property News | Posted by Aye Myat Thu
The care of pets, especially wealthy pets, has become a multi-billion dollar industry, and there are some owners that spare no expense to make them happy.
The luckiest of animals are owned by the wealthy and are often named in their wills. Some have earned their own money making a fortune for their owners. Let’s look at a few.
1. Grumpy Cat
In 2012 a small part Siamese cat with an eternally grouchy face won popularity on the internet. Grumpy Cat, whose real name was Tarder Sauce, was born in 2012 with feline dwarfism. Her family has approved marketing for books, clothing, shoes, perfume and calendars, just to name a few. She has her own website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Unfortunately, Tarder passed away at the age of seven in May of 2019 leaving her owner, Tabitha Bundensen, a wealthy woman. Reports of amounts of one hundred million dollars have been put forth but Bundesen claims it is not quite that much and won’t reveal an actual amount. As long as Grumpy Cat merchandise sells, she will still be bringing in money.
2. Gunther IV
A German Shepherd named Gunther IV inherited just over three hundred million dollars from his sire, Gunther III. Gunther III was owned by German Countess Karlotta Liebenstein who when she passed away in 1991 left between sixty five and eighty million dollars for her pet.
With careful investments from a legal team in the Bahamas including properties in the Bahamas, Italy and Germany as well as a villa in Miami, Gunther IV inherited about three hundred and twenty four million dollars when Gunther III died. Gunther IV has his own BMW, personal chef and servants to attend to his every need.
3. Oprah Winfrey’s dogs
Oprah Winfrey’s dogs, Springer Spaniels named Sadie, Sunny, Lauren, Layla and Luke will never have to want for anything even if they outlive their famous owner. From her over two billion dollar estate, she has set up a trust fund of thirty million dollars to care for her pets.
4. Trouble the dog
When the “Queen of Mean”, Leona Helmsley, died in 2007 she left a trust fund for her Maltese Terrier, Trouble, in the amount of twelve million dollars. Her fortune was earned by her husband Harry Brakmann Helmsley in real estate deals including the Empire State Building, according to britannica.com.
Helmsley’s grandchildren, from whom she was estranged, challenged the will and the New York State Attorney General’s Office lowered Trouble’s inheritance to one and a half million dollars. Trouble was cared for by the manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel in Florida until he died at the age of twelve.
5. Choupette
Fashion designer and artistic director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld told Time that his white Birman cat, Choupette, earned over three million dollars from two modeling jobs. One was for German automobile Opel Corsa and the other from a Japanese beauty product. Lagerfeld hired two personal assistants for Choupette who groom her, play with her and see to her every need. She also has a personal chef and a hairdresser.
Lagerfeld gifted her diamond jewelry, and she was photographed with famous models from all over the world. According to Lagerfeld, the white Birman cat doesn’t care much for children and other animals but has her own seat on his private plane with an embroidered pillow. When Lagerfeld died in February of 2019, Choupette inherited part of Lagerfeld’s three hundred million dollar fortune but the news of how much has not yet been released.
Ref: Property Report
