Paws and Prosperity: The Surprisingly Wealthy Pets of the Rich and Famous

The World's Richest Dog, Gunther IV — $80+ million inheritance

Gunther IV is widely considered the wealthiest dog in the world, with a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars but the real story begins with Gunther III who inherited the $80 million fortune of his owner, Countess Karlotta Liebenstein, a wealthy German aristocrat. The Countess had no heirs and left her fortune to her beloved dog in 1991, establishing a trust to manage the inheritance and to take care of his descendants' well-being. The trust, however, has grown multifold since then to include luxury properties, including a Miami mansion once owned by Madonna, valued at over $30 million, along with estates in the Bahamas and Italy. Gunther IV’s lifestyle includes private chefs, trips in limousines, and access to some of the world’s most lavish accommodations.