Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Robert and Gunther are on Forbes’ “short-hair” list of the world’s richest dogs, inheriting fortunes from their pet-loving humans.
Tobacco heiress Doris Duke dedicated her life to the dogs she rescued from shelters. Her magnanimity didn’t stop there; upon her death, she ensured that her only living dog, a mutt named Robert, would be the wealthiest pooch in the U.S. Duke bequeathed $100,000 to the pup under a designated caretaker’s direction. Although Robert’s case is still playing out in court, the dog has got a great “rescued to riches” story.
But Robert, although his humble beginnings deem him quite venerable, has been displaced as the richest pup in the country by Gunther IV. This moneyed mutt just hit the U.S. scene and is the successor to Gunther III whose adoring owner, German countess Karlotta Liebenstein, left him $65 million upon her death. But don’t worry, Gunther’s team (a panel of Italian businessmen) knew how to play the market, and has since turned the $65 into $200 million bones! Gunther and his people: German pop group “The Burgundians,” who were hand-picked to live with the dog and enjoy his lifestyle, have also invaded the hot Miami scene. We all know traveling between homes in Italy and the Bahamas can get a little old so Gunther snapped up a new super chic dog house, Madonna’s waterfront Miami mansion, collared for a mere $7.5 million (that’s $52.5 in doggy-dollars)! The pampered pooch gets Madonna’s old boudoir and rumors have it the house may be wired for Internet viewing pleasure. And there is also some talk at the dog parks that Gunther is now considering a new acquisition, a pied-de-terre in Manhattan. Andy Warhol’s old factory recently went on the market, and Gunther’s “people” were reportedly right there, alongside Ivana Trump and Henry Kissinger, sniffing out the spot. Let the bidding begin!
These cases are a tad extravagant, but the owners’ hearts were in the right place. They took the time to plan for their pet before they themselves passed on. Even if you do not have millions to give to your pets, you owe it to them to have a plan in place to ensure their lifelong care.
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