The list of wealthiest animals in the world includes animals that have inherited or earned over US$1 million.
Through inheritance
Non-human animals are not legal persons and cannot directly own property. Pets typically "inherit" money through a pet trust, which must be used for their care after the owner's death.
Hoaxes
- Reportedly, Toby Rimes, a poodle, inherited $20 million from New Yorker Ella Wendel in 1931. In fact, it seems that no such bequest was made.
- In 2021, the Associated Press and several other news organizations reported that a German Shepherd dog named Gunther VI inherited $400 million from Countess Karlotta Leibenstein of Germany. The day after the Associated Press article, the New York Post published an article disputing the validity of the claim. The Associated Press later removed the article from its website and published a new article admitting the story was a fabrication. The story of Gunther was featured in the 2023 Netflix documentary series Gunther's Millions.
See also
References