Woman leaves millions to her cats & dogs

An eccentric Christchurch woman who died in a house fire left a multi-million dollar fortune to cats and dogs.


At least $3 million is believed to have gone to an animal welfare trust set up by Aileen Milligan, 78.

The money came from estate sales of two properties on upmarket Scarborough Hill, and other investments.

Mrs Milligan and her late husband, scientist Robert Hartley Milligan, did not have any children.

Those closest to Mrs Milligan say it was her lifelong ambition to provide comfort for stray dogs and cats.

"She loved animals so much," friend and former neighbour Georgina Hooker said.

"I wouldn't do it myself, but I think (the trust) is a wonderful thing."

Animal welfare groups including the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe) have been invited to apply for funding.

Safe director Anthony Terry said such a large bequest to animals was rare, but not unprecedented.

Details of the trust are shrouded in secrecy. It seems Mrs Milligan wanted it that way.

"She was a very private woman...she kept herself to herself," her lawyer Phil Shamy said.

Like Zsa Zsa Gabor, it was a poodle that Mrs Milligan lavished with love.

His name was Flynn and he enjoyed five-star treatment.

"She would cook roast pork, give the dog the crackling and throw the rest over the cliff," said a neighbour who asked not to be named.

When the poodle became incontinent in old age, Mrs Milligan fitted him in home-made nappies.

Losing the dog was said to have broken her heart.

However stray cats sneaking through the hedge would always be rewarded with a bowl of food or milk.

Mrs Milligan decreed that no funeral notice be published when she died. She did not want anyone there.

Mrs Milligan died when her two-storey home near Taylors Mistake went up in flames on September 7, 2001.

Christchurch coroner Richard McElrea ruled the death accidental.




I'll adopt the cats!!!

What an awesome story.......

its good to see organisations like SPCA getting some $$$ to help with animal care.

fuck it, i'll marry a cat for even half of that money

haha lucid! it is a shame that there were no children to benefit from this.

richest animals in new zealand at the moment i'd say!

Now that i think about it, that would make you my mother in law ktlou hehe

LOL - yes it would lucid!

Its great someone looks after the animals......somebody in NZ has too.......go her

yah for the kitties and doggies and bunnies...yippee!!

someone i know thinks this is absolutely farken ridiculous!

I say good on the eccentric woman! the SPCA etc will really benefit from these millions!

If joy was given by these lovely creatures I say it's worth all the rice in china (or all her $$$ in the bank). Pity she didn't feel as close to a human, says alot about people really. Aimals love a person unconditionally, and she must have loved them just as much back. What a happy story.

Ok- one million to the cats, one million to the dogs and one million to me, thats my final offer

haha lucid! well seeing as though i've already adopted the cats... i think that's fair.

deal!

Well, someones gotta look after animals especially as its humans that cause them so much harm. However, personally I dislike the whole "lets look out for the fluffy animals with big eyes cos they're cute" when we have humans who get much less grand treatment.

Humans suck that's why.