AFTER her children failed to visit or care for her when she was ill, an elderly woman from Shanghai, China left her fortune of RM13.2 million (USD2.8 mil) to her dogs and cats.
According to reports in the South China Morning Post, Liu had initially made a will several years ago where she left her three children money and property.
However, she decided to change her will after realising that her children never visited or cared for her during her illness.
They also seldom contacted her.
Only her pet cats and dogs were there for her and she changed her will, leaving all her money for the care of her pets and their offspring.
A local veterinary clinic has been appointed as the administrator of her inheritance and is responsible for the care of the animals.
An official from the Will Registration Centre in Beijing said though Liu wanted to leave all her money directly to her pets, it was not legal in China.
Another official from the eastern China branch of the China Will Registration Centre said they had alerted Liu to the risks of putting all her money in the hands of the pet clinic before she made her final will.
“We told Auntie Liu that if her children change their attitude towards her, she could always alter her will again,” the official said.
In December last year, a Shanghai court ruled that the will of a man who left all his assets – totalling 3.3 million yuan (US$466,000) – to a kind fruit stall owner instead of his relatives, was valid after they challenged it. - The Vibes, January 28, 2024
