An elderly woman in Shanghai, China left her $2.8 million fortune to her pets and nothing to her adult children.
The woman, who was identified only by her last name, Liu, originally drafted a will a few years ago in which she left her three children money and property, according to the South China Morning Post per a report by Zonglan News.
She eventually changed her mind about the inheritance because her children reportedly did not visit nor care for her when she became ill. In her children’s absence, the woman said she was kept company by her dogs and cats.
Liu adjusted her will accordingly and insisted that her money go towards the welfare of her pets and any of their offspring after she dies.
The only issue? Leaving an inheritance for your pets isn’t legal in China, according to Chen Kai, an official from the country’s Will Registration Center headquarters in Beijing, per South China Morning Post.
In order to comply with Liu’s wishes, a local veterinary clinic has been appointed as the administrator of her inheritance and is responsible for her pets’ care.
An official from the eastern China branch of China’s Will Registration Centre reportedly told Liu that leaving all of her money to the pet clinic had several risks involved. However, the mother was also told that she could always change her will again if her children changed their attitudes towards her.
The report did not specify why Liu’s children had an estranged relationship with their mother.
