If a dog is given a bunch of money in the will of their deceased owner, does it truly own the money? It might seem far-fetched, but considering that an animal can genuinely have a net worth, it's not too wild. Let's take a look at the richest animal in the world and how it acquired said riches.

Everyone knows that animals can be expensive, that they can be worth a lot of money if purchased. Not so many people know that animals can actually have a net worth, so with that in mind, what's the wealthiest animal in the world? Is it a chicken? Is it a doggo? Is it a cool cat?

Who takes home the much-coveted animal world record for being the richest non-human in the world? What is the wealthiest animal ever, and how did it get to this level of financial comfort? Let's take a look.

A German shepherd named Gunther VI is the world's wealthiest animal, with an estimated $400-500 million to his name. This member of canine royalty is the latest in a line of doggos that were once owned by Countess Karlotta Leibenstein, a German aristocrat who died in 1992. His record has been confirmed by Guinness World Records.

We'll get into why Gunther VI is so rich in a second, but first it's worth giving you a little breakdown of the family history. You see, Gunther truly is the sixth in a line of esteemed canines, the third of which originally inherited the money back in the 1990s. But, hang on, dogs can't handle money, can they?

Gunther VI's money has been placed in a trust that is managed by a board of humans that are in charge of how the money is allocated and spent. They choose what to invest in to increase the pot of wealth. Seeing as Gunther VI has now experienced quite a bit of fame, he has even bumped into a few celebrities here and there. No joke – he bought a house from Madonna at one point!

Now, it's time to address the elephant in the room: Dogs can only own property in a rare few countries. In most areas of the world, our beloved canine companions are property and, therefore, cannot accumulate wealth. As such, it is unlikely that a dog in the United States would ever make it onto a "wealthy dog" list.

With more than $400 million under his belt, it is unlikely that Gunther VI will ever go wanting for anything. In fact, this doggo's wealth has grown over the years due to savvy investing by his trustees.

As is documented in a recent Netflix series, Gunther VI received his wealth after Countess Karlotta Leibenstein died in 1992, leaving Gunther III large amounts of money in her will. Leibenstein had no heir, as her son reportedly took his own life at the young age of 26. As such, when it came time to write her will, there was no one to give the money to.

Gunther III received around $400 million when Leibenstein passed away, sent into a trust that was placed under the care of Maria-Gabriella Gentili. This responsibility, however, was then passed on to Maurizio Mian, who ensured that the accumulated wealth would be passed on down through the doggy generations when Gunther III passed away.

It is under this setup that Gunther VI became the world's wealthiest animal. This becomes even more extraordinary when you realize that Gunther VI is a dog - he doesn't even understand what money is!

The most notable, and possibly the most famous, rich animals that come to mind are Taylor Swift's three adorable Scottish folds. All three of these little fellows are named after television or film characters, and the richest among them – Olivia Benson – is estimated to be worth almost $100 million.

They ain't the only notable rich animals, though, here are some more

• Nala: An influencer cat with her own cat food brand, worth upwards of $100 million
• Jiffpom: Social media influencer, charges approximately $33,000 per Instagram post, worth around $25 million
• Flossie: Drew Barrymore's doggo, worth $1.3 million in trust
• Tardar Sauce (Grumpy Cat): worth at least $1 million
• Blackie: Guinness World Records' richest cat, worth about $12.5 million

There are some rich animals out there in the world, some four-pawed friends that are far wealthier than you or I. Are we jealous, though? Nah, these cuties deserve it!

Animals that are expensive and animals that are wealthy are both very different kettles of fish. The former is an animal that is excessively valuable, such as a dog breed like the Tibetan mastiff, or a horse that has earned its worth worth due to the various feats it has accomplished. Meanwhile, the latter is usually something that's inherited.

The reality is simple: Animals can't really earn themselves money. They generally earn their owners money and, as a result, they themselves can't get rich. Instead, any "rich" animal has probably inherited its money from an owner that passed away. It's a pretty sad way to earn your riches. But, hey – money is money!