A Shaggy Dog Story

 Everyone wants to own a mansion. Especially if it’s in Miami. Especially especially if it was formerly owned by Madonna. Especially especially especially if it’s valued at $31 million.

Who’s this lucky dog? Well, it’s a dog.

Literally. It’s a dog. We’re talking about Gunther VI a German Shepherd who made the news last week when he met with his real estate agents to put the mansion he owns on the market for the above mentioned $31 million.

The story was reported in several outlets including the Associated Press, Forbes, and NPR. Here’s a sample:  https://www.npr.org/2021/11/18/1056805293/dog-miami-mansion-madonna-real-estate.

As a lawyer I’m obligated to tell you there is a well-recognized legal principle that animals cannot inherit anything. Not even the real estate their doghouse sits on. If you want to take care of your pets after you die, you need to have a special trust prepared.

And even though the story included information about a trust, it turns out that legal principle does not apply to this case. For a very good reason.

Later that day, the New York Post (of all media outlets) reported that Gunther’s saga was a hoax. Here’s their story:  https://nypost.com/2021/11/18/a-dog-isnt-really-selling-madonnas-former-florida-mansion/.

The actual owner (human this time) and the broker (also presumably human) made it all up. They wanted to increase the price of the mansion and its notoriety. And they cheerfully admitted it. Gunther VI, apparently jet-setting around the world on his fortune, had no comment.

So, in this case a much more important legal principle applies:  If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is.