Leona Helmsley’s dog, Trouble, isn’t the only pet with an inheritance problem. According to a news report, four-legged trust-funders are becoming increasingly common, and so are the legal battles surrounding their money. The New York Daily News says “pet trusts”–legal arrangements that set money aside for a pet’s care and designate a trustee to fulfill an owner’s wishes–are becoming more popular with the rise in rich people and the cultural fetishisation of dogs.
It cites actress Caryn Rosenthal, a New Yorker who takes frequent trips to Bermuda and leaves her dog Jax-a mixed breed who scoots around on wheels because he can't use his hind legs-in the care of her family. But she worried about her absences, so she set up a trust if she passes away before Jax.