Remember Leona Helmsley's Maltese lap dog that inherited $12 million from her billionaire departed owner? Well, Trouble passed away at the age of 12 way back in December, but according to an article in today's New York Times, news of Trouble's death was released only yesterday. The reportedly testy pooch lived the remaining years of her life after Helmsley's death in Sarasota, Florida, cared for by the general manager of one of Helmsley's hotels.
The article noted that Trouble became a lightening rod, of sorts, for the publics' dislike of Helmsley's excesses and "the public came to loathe Trouble after Mrs. Helmsley died in 2007 and news broke of the dog's windfall." In fact, Trouble simultaneously received numerous death threats and was courted by unscrupulous breeders out to make a buck on her name. We can't understand why anyone would hate the dog for the deeds of the owner (perhaps Trouble held a gun to Mrs. Helmsley's head and insisted on a fair share of her bloated estate?)
Anyway, the really interesting part of this story, and one that we were unaware of, is that several animal rights groups got together and sued the Helmsley trust in 2009, arguing that the $3 billion in assets were not being used in accordance with the provisions of the trust - a lot more of the trust's money was supposed to go to help animals. According to Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, Trouble's inheritance "unfortunately cast Mrs. Helmsley as an eccentric, when in reality the bulk of her estate is reserved for a very legitimate philanthropic enterprise, which is promoting animal welfare and preventing animal cruelty."
Wouldn't it be great if a bigger hunk of that $3 billion was distributed to animal welfare groups? We think Trouble would give a paws up to that.
P.S. Keep a look out for a very special interview and give-a-way coming Tuesday. Hint: it involves the Humane Society of the United States!
The article noted that Trouble became a lightening rod, of sorts, for the publics' dislike of Helmsley's excesses and "the public came to loathe Trouble after Mrs. Helmsley died in 2007 and news broke of the dog's windfall." In fact, Trouble simultaneously received numerous death threats and was courted by unscrupulous breeders out to make a buck on her name. We can't understand why anyone would hate the dog for the deeds of the owner (perhaps Trouble held a gun to Mrs. Helmsley's head and insisted on a fair share of her bloated estate?)
Anyway, the really interesting part of this story, and one that we were unaware of, is that several animal rights groups got together and sued the Helmsley trust in 2009, arguing that the $3 billion in assets were not being used in accordance with the provisions of the trust - a lot more of the trust's money was supposed to go to help animals. According to Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, Trouble's inheritance "unfortunately cast Mrs. Helmsley as an eccentric, when in reality the bulk of her estate is reserved for a very legitimate philanthropic enterprise, which is promoting animal welfare and preventing animal cruelty."
Wouldn't it be great if a bigger hunk of that $3 billion was distributed to animal welfare groups? We think Trouble would give a paws up to that.
P.S. Keep a look out for a very special interview and give-a-way coming Tuesday. Hint: it involves the Humane Society of the United States!
