Trouble no more
Trouble, the Maltese who became a multi-millionaire upon the death of her owner, Leona Helmsley, has died.
Trouble, who Helmsley left $12 million — but who only got $2 million – passed away in Florida. She was 12.
Either her death was a well guarded secret, or the news media doesn’t sniff out stories as quickly as it used to: Trouble died almost six months ago, in December. (The media seems equally callous about Trouble’s gender, with a good half of all reports calling her a him.)
While Helmlsey, who died in 2007, wanted Trouble buried next to her, that won’t be happening.
Even though Helmsley is interred in a 12,000 square-foot family mausoleum, a board member at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, north of New York City said, sniffily: Dogs are not permitted.
Instead, Trouble has been cremated, and her remains are being “privately retained,” according to the New York Daily News.
As for the remainder of the $2 million earmarked for the dog’s care — probably a good $1.5 million – it will revert to the Helmsley Trust and, if the past is any indication, be spent as the the trustees see fit, as opposed to following Helmsley’s wishes.
While Helmsley left the dog $12 million, a judge later knocked it down to $2 million. Helmsley also requested that much of her fortune, estimated at upwards of $5 billion, go to dog-related causes, but she was snubbed in that regard as well. Only a small percentage of the millions the foundation has given away has gone to animal welfare organizations. Several sued to get a bigger piece, but a judge said no.
Since 2007, Trouble has been cared for by Carl Lekic, the general manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle hotel in Sarasota.
Lekic estimated about $100,000 a year was spent on taking care of Trouble – $8,000 for grooming, $1,200 for food and the rest for his fee and a full-time security guard.
Trouble died in December after “a series of health setbacks that left her blind and infirm,” the Daily News said.
Trouble was purchased at a Manhattan pet shop to console Helmsley after the death of her husband, Harry, and spent most of her life in luxury, traveling with Helmsley in private jets and stretch limousines.
Despite her inherited millions, Trouble was not the richest dog in the world, MSNBC reports.
That distinction belongs to Gunther IV, a German dog left $372 million by his owner. In America, Miss Charlie Brown, an English cocker spaniel in South Dakota, stands to inherit $130 million from her mineral magnate owners. And Oprah Winfrey, MSNBC said, is rumored to have earmarked $30 million for the care of her pups.
Posted by jwoestendiek June 9th, 2011 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, billionaire, dead, death, dies, dog, dogs, estate, foundation, gunther IV, helmsley, last wishes, leona helmsley, maltese, media, millionaire, miss charlie brown, news, oprah winfrey, pets, rich, trouble, trust, trustees, wealth, wealthiest dogs, will
Comment from Deborah Northcutt
Time June 10, 2011 at 10:22 am
It’s about love that this woman thought to give her wealth to this dog… If I were her, I’ll give my 2 million dollars for my dog then the rest is for charity.. She could then help series of children that are victims of poverty.. But we can do nothing about it, that’s her decision.. I wonder where are the leftover for $12 million..