An elderly woman in Shanghai, China, Ms Liu, has sparked significant debate after deciding to cut her three children out of her will, choosing instead to leave her 20 million yuan ($2.8 million) fortune to her cats and dogs. While some might sympathize with her disappointment in her children’s reported neglect during her illness, the decision to prioritize her pets over her family raises questions about the dynamics at play and whether this move is justified.
According to reports, Ms. Liu’s original will left her wealth to her children. However, feeling quite abandoned when her health declined, she turned to her beloved pets for comfort and support. Was this decision, influenced by an emotional response, the right one?
Understandably, Ms. Liu would be grateful to her pets during such a lonely time, but does that warrant completely disinheriting her children? The choice to reward her animals with the entirety of her fortune is certainly unconventional and even controversial, especially since Chinese law does not allow animals to legally inherit.
To manage this unusual legacy, Ms Liu appointed a local veterinary clinic to look after the animals after her passing and administer the inheritance. But will this safeguard her pets’ welfare, or does it create a potential loophole for misuse? Chen Kai, an official from the Will Registration Centre in Beijing, suggested that appointing a trusted individual to oversee the clinic would have been a more prudent approach.
This situation begs the question: Should the bond between a person and their pets come at the expense of human relationships, no matter how strained? While Ms. Liu’s actions reflect the loyalty she felt from her animals, they also raise questions about family, loyalty, and the choices we make in our most vulnerable moments.
Moral of the Story Please visit your parents, at least video call every other day.
Source: Unilad
