Millionaire pets

Trouble, estimated fortune: $2m. Hopefully, nine-year-old Trouble is able to rise above the vulgar squabbling that has been going on around him since his owner, Leona Helmsley, died two years ago. The Maltese terrier was originally left $12m by the New York hotelier, but that was slashed by a judge to a mere $2m – let's hope he isn't forced to flog his kennel Photograph: Jennifer Graylock/AP

Gunther IV, estimated fortune: £224.6m. His sadness at the death of his father, Gunther III, must have been tempered somewhat by the fact it made him the world’s richest pet. The alsatian’s vast fortune originally came from the German Countess Karlotta Libenstein who died in 1992. Gunther is said to dine daily on caviar and steak. And he’s a bit of a material dog – reportedly owning a Miami mansion that once belonged to Madonna, as well as Italian football club Pontedera (it's not clear whether he insists on having a say in new signings) Photograph: Action Press/Rex Features

Oprah Winfrey’s dogs, estimated fortune: $30m. "I left my fortune to my dogs" sounds more like one for Jerry Springer than Oprah, but a few years ago there were rumours that the queen of chat planned to leave a substantial trust fund behind for her beloved pooches. We think she’s much too sensible for that, but she has probably made sure they will be able to continue to live in the manner to which they are obviously accustomed Photograph: Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images

Keiko, estimated fortune: £22.6m. Hendrix, Cobain, Morrison … like those other legends Keiko, star of the Free Willy trilogy, also died at the tender age of 27. His name may have meant Lucky One in Japanese, but although he found international fame after being plucked from obscurity working in a theme park, he didn't exactly have a whale of a time. Reports of his death in 2003 say he died early and alone after a period of depression. Other young orcas be warned: be careful what you wish for Photograph: Don Ryan/AP

Flossie, estimated fortune: $3.6m. Actor Drew Barrymore was reportedly so grateful to her beloved labrador for saving her life when her house was on fire that she pledged her house to Flossie in her will. Who knows how much the dog would be worth if she had saved her owner from appearing in Charlie’s Angels II Photograph: Steve Connolly/Rex Features

Moose, estimated fortune: £1.8m. Self-made millionaire Moose was a bit of a media mongrel, finding fame as Eddie on TV show Frasier, then following it up with a film role. A canine who understood discretion is the better part of valour, he refused to dish the dirt on his co-stars in his memoir My Life as a Dog and took his secrets to the grave when he died in 2006. Fact fans may like to know he is only one degree from Kevin Bacon, having starred with him in My Dog Skip Photograph: Mitchell Gerber/Corbis