NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's a story of a truly pampered pet, Lulu, an 8-year-old border collie.
She was loved by her human and when he died his last will and testament made Lulu a very wealthy pooch.
Typically, Lulu plays watchdog outside of her Nashville home, but the truth is she can now afford to hire her own security. Lulu works the front door not because she has to, but because she wants to.
"Yes, she's a good girl," said Martha Burton, Lulu's caretaker now.
The two have been together for years as the 88-year-old Burton kept Lulu for her friend, the dog's owner Bill Dorris.
He was always on the road and Dorris wanted Lulu well cared for while he was gone.
"Well, he always left the dog for me to take care of," said Burton.
Then, late last year the 84-year-old Dorris, an unmarried, successful businessman, died. His will named Lulu and left her part of his fortune, money enough to pay for more kibble than any dog could possibly imagine.
"Oh yes. He loved that dog," said Burton.
Exactly how much did Dorris leave?
The will reads: "$5,000,000 will be transferred to a trust to be formed upon my death for the care of my border collie Lulu."
"I don't really know what to think about it to tell you the truth. He just really loved the dog," Burton said.
The will specifies: "This trust is to provide for all the needs of Lulu. The dog will remain in possession of Martha Burton."
The estate is currently in probate and it's not exactly clear how much it's worth.
But friends of Dorris say he had vast real estate holdings and investments. Burton doesn't know anything about all that. What she does know is that Lulu is happy and loved.
There are no plans to buy a solid gold dog bowl or diamond-encrusted collar. The will states Burton will simply be reimbursed for reasonable monthly expenses.
She knows there's no way they could ever spend $5 million, but Burton says with a smile, "Well, I'd like to try."
The trust will be handled by a conservator who will approve and reimburse Burton for expenses to care for Lulu. It's not clear what will happen to any money left in the trust when Lulu, who is 8 years old, someday passes away.
This story originally reported by Nick Beres on NewsChannel5.com
