Gunter VI : The World’s Wealthiest Pet

Meet Gunther VI. He may seem like an ordinary dog, but this German Shepherd comes with a whopping $500 million dollar net worth! 

He spends his days like most canines – he enjoys a good game of fetch, rolling around in the grass, slobbering when he eats, and getting lots of love and pets. However, what makes this dog so unique is the $500 million dollar trust held in his name. 

In 1992 Gunther VI’s doggie grandfather, Gunther III, inherited $80 million dollars from his late owner Karlotta Leibenstein who was a German Countess. Since then, a group of handlers have been hired to help maintain the trust as well as the life of luxury for the succession of dogs. The estate is actively buying and selling popular real estate as well as sports teams where Gunther VI himself is known to play on the field and attend games. 

So, what exactly does a typical day in the life of the world's wealthiest pet look like? Well, it starts at home, where Gunther wakes up in his sprawling nine-bedroom Tuscan-style waterfront mansion on his red velvet bed. His mansion was formerly owned by Madonna and is worth an estimated $32 million, and yes – he even sleeps in Madonna’s old bedroom! Gunther puts on his gold or diamond collar, depending on his mood that day, and heads downstairs to meet his private chef for breakfast. There’s no kibble in Gunther’s house – the private chef instead creates mouth-watering dishes using only the finest meats, vegetables, and grains for the canine. Once he’s full, Gunther heads out for his daily obedience training and a good play with his caretakers before heading to the airport. The airport you ask? Well of course Gunther has his own private jet! He’s known to frequent locations such as Milan and the Bahamas where his caretakers take him for socialization and for fine dining at the poshest of restaurants!  

Gunther most recently has been featured in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, and has founded the Gunther Rescue, which is an organization funded by the trust and designed to help animals in need.  

In Ontario, pets cannot hold property in their name alone. If you want to include your pets in your estate plans consider leaving the funds to the guardian for the pet’s future care and expenses, or perhaps donating the funds to a charity such as a local animal shelter, wildlife sanctuary or pet food bank! 

This blog is not intended to be legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you require legal advice, please contact a legal professional concerning your particular circumstances.