Last week, a 1.2 acre, 9 bedroom waterfront mansion in Miami (also described as a ‘Tuscan-style villa’, which admittedly sounds more grandiose) was listed for sale at US$ 31.75 million. While not pocket-change for most of us1, the impending sale of a multi-million dollar house can hardly be considered a newsworthy event. The thing is, this particular mansion is owned by Gunther VI, a German Shepherd with an estimated wealth of nearly half a billion dollars.
Gunther VI inherited the mansion, and his substantial wealth, from his grandfather Gunther IV and is the latest beneficiary of a trust which was set up by German countess Karlotta Liebenstein for her dog, Gunther III. One may sneer at the unimaginative naming of the canines, but if being called Gunther entitled me to millions of dollars, I would change my name in a heartbeat. Since the establishment of the trust in 1992, handlers and advisers have managed the assets to allow many generations of Gunthers to live a life of luxury. The aforesaid mansion, for instance, was purchased from Madonna (yes, the Madonna) 20 years ago at about a quarter of its current listed sale price - that’s a profit which would make anyone howl in joy.
It’s all well and good for the future Gunthers, but one can’t help but wonder about the fates of Gunthers I and II. Who were they? Did they lead fulfilling lives? Did they ever eat caviar, which is a daily feature in their descendents’ diet? Did they wish they had a less insipid name to bequeath on their progeny? These questions will remain shrouded in mystery.
In any event, having read about Gunther I was naturally curious to find other interesting stories involving affluent pets. And I was not disappointed.
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In 2007, the death of billionaire real estate mogul Leona Helmsley, caused great dismay to her relatives; at least, the ones who discovered that they had been excluded from her will. It is reported that Ms. Helmsley was not a popular figure and the epithet: ‘Queen of Mean’ had been conferred upon her2. Two of her grandchildren most certainly agreed with this nickname, and galled by their disinheritance they contested the will. Just another story of the squabbles of the rich, you would think. True, but what made Ms. Helmsley’s will unique was that she had decided to leave US$ 12 million to her dog, presciently named (I am not making this up), Trouble.
You and I may think that Trouble was entitled to that money merely on account of being cute, but Ms. Helmsley’s relatives had harder hearts and hungrier pockets. Legal machinations led to Trouble’s inheritance being whittled down to a more modest US$ 2 million, based on an estimated cost of her welfare for 10 years. This included a US$ 60,000 annual fee for her guardian and a US$ 100,000 annual cost of security. That security cost may seem hefty but bear in mind that Trouble received numerous kidnapping and death threats and eventually had to relocate from New York to Florida, where she spent the rest of her days; hopefully un-troubled.
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It is possible that the reader may be getting the impression that millionaire pets (much like millionaire humans) owe their fortunes to generational wealth and endowments. While that’s partly true, I should mention that some of them made their fortunes by working; or, as in the case of Grumpy Cat, by being grumpy3.
Since making her debut on Reddit in 2012, Grumpy Cat’s popularity soared to heights few could have imagined. She is credited to have played a significant role in birthing meme culture, which has been as revolutionary as the advent of writing (I say this in all seriousness: I know people who communicate almost exclusively through memes and gifs). She was corporatized (“Grumpy Cat Limited”) and is believed to have earned millions through merchandising, licensing, public appearances and starring in a Hollywood movie. In 2015, the then President of the United States, Barrack Obama, made a reference to Grumpy Cat in a speech - in the pre-Trump era, being mentioned by the President of the United States was not a guaranteed PR disaster.
As we all know, it is quintessential for the rich and powerful to be embroiled in legal disputes. Until you have sued or been sued, you can’t in good conscience consider yourself to be a member of high society. Grumpy Cat was not lacking on this count either. After partnering with a coffee maker to lend her face to their beverage, the (not so) imaginatively titled “Grumppuccino”, Grumpy Cat Limited litigated against the coffee maker claiming trademark infringement over unauthorised use of her image, and eventually won the case. Grumpy Cat passed away in 2019 but led an eventful life and left behind a legacy that is likely to remain unmatched.
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Reading about a pet whose net worth is many times more than what most people earn in their lifetimes can be jarring. There are numerous articles bemoaning how the world has gone to the dogs. People critique the uber-rich who spend substantial sums of money on their pets, while millions of people around the world live in abject poverty. Even instances where pets earn their wealth, like Grumpy Cat, has drawn ire in the past.
But if we accept the bequeathing of property from parents to their children as the natural order of things, then why should we be outraged if that money is inherited by their pets? And if YouTubers and influencers can earn millions from generating content on the internet, why shouldn’t Grumpy Cat? It is, after all, a dog-eat-dog world. And all things considered, millionaire pets are much less likely to be pompous and act like the cat’s whiskers.
The massively skewed distribution of wealth is an issue that undoubtedly needs urgent attention. Significant steps need to be taken by our society to address this global malady. They say that there is more than one way to feed a cat4 and maybe one day we will find a path to a more equitable world. In the meantime, if you are hating on animals for being rich, then you are barking up the wrong tree.
If you consider that amount as pocket change, I would humbly request you to get in touch with me. I am certain we can come to an arrangement of some sort.
She was something of a modern-day Marie Antoniette and is believed to have said (in)famously: “We don't pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes.”
A snippet of sobering reality: Grumpy Cat (originally named, Tardar Sauce, an indisputably fantastic name for a pet) owed her trademark expression, and consequent fame, to underbite and dwarfism.
I know the adage refers to skinning a cat but that seems needlessly gruesome.
Imagine Logan Roy bequeathing his company to a pet cat, played by Pishi, Brian Cox's pet cat irl.
Imagine Logan Roy bequeathing his company to a pet cat, played by Pishi, Brian Cox's pet cat irl.