More than 150 dogs, once homeless, inherit over $4 million when their owner dies.
Eleanor Ritchey, the heiress of the Quaker State Refining Corporation, was not fond of people, but she did love dogs. When growing up, she was not allowed to have one. As she got older, she would care for aging family members. She never married or had children. When her mother passed away in 1960, when Eleanor was 50 years old, she started bringing homeless dogs into her life. Hired help would drive her around in her Cadillac as she searched for them. When the number of dogs grew, so did her land. Eventually, she had 150 dogs on 180 acres.
When Eleanor passed away in 1968, all her wealth went to her dogs to ensure the lifetime care of them. When the last dog, Musketeer, died in 1984, the money (which had grown to almost $12 million) went to Auburn University to fund veterinary research.