bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Alice Yan

An elderly woman in China has decided to leave her 20 million yuan (US$2.8 million) fortune to her cats and dogs and give nothing to her adult children.
The woman, surnamed Liu, from Shanghai, made an initial will some years ago in which she left her three children money and property.
However, she has changed her mind about the inheritance because her offspring did not visit or care for her when she was ill. Also, they seldom even contact her.
Only her pet cats and dogs are there for her, Liu said, according to a report by Zonglan News.
She changed her will and insisted all her money must be used to care for her pets and any of their offspring after she dies.

A local veterinary clinic has been appointed as the administrator of her inheritance and is responsible for the care of the animals.
Although Liu wanted to leave all her money directly to her pets, that is not legal in China, according to Chen Kai, an official from the country’s Will Registration Centre headquarters in Beijing.
“However, there are alternatives to solve this issue,” Chen said.
“Liu’s current will is one way, and we would have advised her to appoint a person she trusts to supervise the vet clinic to ensure the pets are properly cared for,” he added.
Another official from the eastern China branch of the China Will Registration Centre said they had alerted Liu to the risks of putting all her money in the hands of the pet clinic before she made her final will.
“We told Auntie Liu that if her children change their attitude towards her, she could always alter her will again,” the official said.
Liu’s story sparked a lively online discussion about inheritance and families.
“How disappointed and heartbroken she must have been to make the decision not to leave anything to her children,” said one online observer.

“Well done. If my daughter treats me poorly in the future, I will also leave my house to others,” another said.
In December last year, a Shanghai court ruled that the will of a man who left all his assets – totalling 3.3 million yuan (US$466,000) – to a kind fruit stall owner instead of his relatives, was valid after they challenged it.


‘Vicious’ man in China jailed for deserting terminal-cancer wife 2 months after wedding

Tourist’s US$8,300 night in hotel, aquarium’s robot whale shark, dog’s graveside vigil: 6 social stories from China

Chinese tourist suffering heart attack saved by German studying TCM since childhood

China woman mistakenly pays US$8,300 for hotel room by confusing yuan and Korean won symbols

Trending in China

Fortune cats and dogs: elderly China woman leaves US$2.8 million assets to beloved pets instead of children who never visited even when she was ill

An elderly woman in China has cut her children out of her will because they have neglected her in her old age, and is instead leaving her US$2.8 million fortune to her beloved cats and dogs. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

The elderly woman said she changed her will because her three children have neglected her in her old age. Photo: Sina

The woman’s decision has sparked a lively discussion about families and inheritance on mainland social media. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Baby face’ Chinese man, 45, still single after more than 100 dates in 10 years says entitled to ‘tall, pretty wife’ as he looks young

A demanding 45-year-old “baby-faced” man in China who has been to scores of blind dates but is yet to find a wife believes he deserves a beautiful wife because he looks young. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Matchmaking events have become popular in China in recent years, despite the country’s falling marriage rates. Photo: Baidu

The picky man, surnamed Feng, has been on more than 100 blind dates but he has yet to find the woman of his overblown dreams. Photo: Baidu

Young China neighbours who fell in love while chatting about interior design marry, keep separate homes on same floor

Young neighbours in China, who got to know each other while chatting about doing up their respective flats, have just married after love blossomed between the pair to the delight of mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Baidu

The house-proud happy couple put wedding decorations up outside their flats. Photo: Baidu

Neighbourly advice about interior design brought the couple together, eventually leading to marriage. Photo: Shutterstock

Famous China actress, known for big, bubbly personality, slashes weight in half for new movie, reignites body-image debate

A famous actress-film director in China has reignited the debate over body image on the mainland after slashing her weight in half for her new movie. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

Jia Ling was at pains to point out that her new movie is not about weight loss. Photo: Weibo

Some people on mainland social media have praised Jia for her efforts, but others expressed concern about the possible health implications of losing so much weight so quickly. Photo: Shutterstock

Woman in China rushed to hospital after 2 years of regular ‘healthy’ TCM bloodletting treatments spark severe anaemia

A woman in China had to be rushed to hospital suffering from severe anaemia due to the long term effects of two year’s worth of traditional bloodletting and cupping treatments. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Over the last six months, the woman stepped up her bloodletting sessions to once a week, which meant she was losing a significant amount of blood each month. Photo: Baidu

While some people on mainland social media criticised the woman for over-using the treatment, others accused traditional Chinese medicine clinics of exploiting the health fears of people. Photo: Baidu

Furious China plane passenger buys 2 first-class tickets, demands seats for 3, delays flight by hours

An upset airline passenger in China who argued with cabin crew, security guards and other fliers over the seating arrangements on his flight, causing a three-hour delay, has been slammed on mainland social media. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

The angry passenger argues with cabin crew and police, incurring the wrath of his fellow fliers. Photo: Douyin

The man had bought two first-class tickets and was insistent that this should entitle him to a third seat for free. Photo: Shutterstock

News

People & Culture

Elderly woman says pet cats, dogs are only comfort when old, sick
Vet appointed as will administrator, carer for animals and their offspring


An elderly woman in China has left all her money and property to the cherished cats and dogs who have kept her company in old age, but nothing to her adult children who have been nowhere to be seen.


China society

Pets

Families in China

Offbeat

Fortune cats and dogs: elderly China woman leaves US$2.8 million assets to beloved pets instead of children who never visited even when she was ill

Elderly woman says pet cats, dogs are only comfort when old, sick Vet appointed as will administrator, carer for animals and their offspring

Elderly woman says pet cats, dogs are only comfort when old, sick

Vet appointed as will administrator, carer for animals and their offspring