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25th Jan 2024

Elderly woman leaves £2.2 million to beloved pets instead of children

Nina McLaughlin

She felt ‘neglected’ by her kids

An elderly woman from China has left her fortune to her pets instead of her children.

Her original will reportedly left all of her money and belongings to her three children.

However, the Shanghai woman changed her will to leave her £2.2 million to her beloved cats and dogs rather than her own kids, as she claims they neglected her as she got older, while her pets gave her comfort.

Liu’s will now reportedly means all of her money must go to looking after her pets, and any offspring they may have.

Identified by her surname Liu, the woman’s final wishes have not been easy to carry out, as it is not legal in China for pets to inherit fortunes.

However, the South China Morning Post, via Zonglan News, reports that a local veterinary clinic is now the administrator of Liu’s fortune.

A representative for China’s Will Registration Centre, Chen Kai, insisted that there are still “alternatives to solve this issue”.

“Liu’s current will is one way, and we would have advised her to appoint a person she trusts to supervise the vet clinic to ensure the pets are properly cared for,” he said.

Another official revealed that they had warned Liu of leaving her fortune to her pets.

“We told Auntie Liu that if her children change their attitude towards her, she could always alter her will again,” they said.

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