Why the surprise that Alexander McQueen left £50,000 to his dogs, as well as £100,000 to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home? Every year hundreds of people bequeath legacies to Battersea: in 2010, these amounted to £8m, 70% of the home's income.
According to a spokesman, the legacies range from as little as £25 to £1.5m and also include gifts ranging from jewellery to a parrot. And the acts of generosity come from far and wide: recently, the home received a legacy of around £500,000 from New Zealand.
Others who have carved out some cash for the home include Lita Roza, the singer who had a No 1 hit in 1953 with How Much is that Doggy in the Window. She bequeathed £25,000, in what amounted to a sizeable percentage of her estate.
Others who have never even owned a dog have left legacies to Battersea after having their life saved by a dog.
But while many families are often supportive of their relatives' wishes, there are those who are determined to fight it out in the courts.
A bone of contention that is, sadly, on the increase.
