Lavish Lifestyles of Animals Left Behind Millions by Their Owners | United Kingdom | New UK News

They may look like any other loving pet, but there are some animals that have got a boon. The four-legged friends of celebrities and the wealthy enjoy a life of leisure with their owners, but some continue to live the high life long after their humans are gone.

The richest cat in the world is said to be a black cat named Blackie who came into millions when his owner left him a fortune in his will.

And did you know there was a dog so rich that he was able to buy Madonna’s mansion?

In some of these cases, the wealth of important people was not left to their children, partners or other family members, but rather to their pets.

Ranging from cats to chimpanzees, these animals found themselves with quite colossal sums of money after the deaths of their owners.

Bubbles

One of the most well-known pets of his time, Bubbles was the chimpanzee companion of Michael Jackson.

Jackson, who acquired it from a Texas research center in the 1980s, took Bubbles on a number of overseas tours and even made him drink tea with the mayor of Osaka.

Long before his death, Jackson arranged for US $ 2million – roughly £ 1.4million – to be left with the chimpanzee.

However, fears that the chimpanzee’s growth and increasing aggressiveness could be a danger to Jackson’s newborn son forced Bubbles’ preventive relocation to an animal sanctuary in 2005.

He lives in the California Sanctuary.

Gunther III

When the German Countess Karlotta Liebenstein died in 1992, a fortune estimated at around £ 46million was passed on to her German Shepherd named Gunther III.

The people who took over the management of the estate ultimately turned the dog’s fortune – by investing his inheritance – into a sum exceeding £ 240million.

When the wealthy dog ​​died, her son Gunther IV took over the estate and was involved in a number of real estate purchases, including being listed as the official buyer of Madonna’s Miami mansion when it was sold in 2000.

Gunther IV is still considered the richest dog in the world to this day.

Kalou

Patricia Cavendish O’Neill’s chimpanzee pet – the daughter of a British countess and ex-wife of Olympic medalist Frank O’Neill – had been added to her owner’s will and is believed to inherit up to £ 50million .

It was reported that a collection of over 40 animals, with Kalu headlining, would inherit O’Neill’s estate in Cape Town, as she had been a prominent animal lover.

Kalu is said to have inspired the second volume of his memoir, entitled A chimpanzee in the wine cellar.

However, he never inherited the millions promised, as it was revealed in 2010 that O’Neill had been cheated of her fortune, leaving her “penniless”.

Blackie

Blackie, the feline pet of recluse Briton Ben Rea, is another cat to be left with an important legacy.

The antique dealer died in 1988, but his death was marked by his choice to bequeath his entire fortune – worth around £ 7million – to the last remaining cat of a group of 15, as well as to several feline charities.

None of his possessions were left with his family, with the only instruction to charities that he was leaving money to care for Blackie in his absence.

Oprah’s dogs

The iconic face of American television has never hesitated to say how much she loves her dogs – she’s had over 20 of them in her career.

It turns out that a significant portion of his estate will also be passed down to them upon his death.

It was claimed in 2007 that the media figure, who is believed to be worth more than £ 1.7bn, had set aside up to £ 21m for the care of his dogs when he died.

Today, she shares it all with three adorable hugs: Springer Spaniels Sunny and Lauren, and Cocker Spaniel Sadie.

“Over the years I have felt the truest and purest love – the love of God, really, I imagine that is what the love of God looks like – it is there. ‘love that comes from your dog,’ Oprah said on an episode of Super Soul Sunday in 2014.