Fine china, world-class silver and antique furniture are packed tightly into a Fort Worth, TX showroom. Hard to believe it all belongs to a dog named “Lucky.”
Former owner Kenneth Bortz stored up enough treasures to fill ten homes. When his partner died, Bortz had no one to share his fortune except his dogs — and Lucky is the last one.
“His ritual at the end of the day was sit out by his fountain, and he’d hand-feed anybody that showed up,” recalled Tim Connolly, the trust manager. Connolly said he was was once named the heir to the estate until Bortz changed his will and gave it all to Lucky the dog.
“Kenneth took care of him well in terms of just the basic necessities,” Connolly said.
Now Lucky lays claim to the finer things in life.
Bortz’s distant relatives didn’t want the collectibles, so an estate sale will pile up the cash for Lucky’s care.
“There’s lots of clock parts and lamp parts. There’s a good mix of everything,” said Skipper Dixon, who was close to Bortz, but could never get close to Lucky. He said the dog is elusive and protective — a perfect heir for the estate.
“For Kenneth, his dogs were basically his children, his family,” Dixon said, admitting he was not surprised when the worldly possessions were left to a dog.
Shoppers have done their homework on the antiques and cut glass. They browse for bargains on every table. But even they can’t resist a trinket with a story about a man who loved his dog more than he loved his money.
“I think it’s a good thing. I’ve seen a lot better dogs than I have people,” laughed Tim Brown, loading his car with a few finds. “People don’t deserve it.”
Skeptics have all sorts of names for Kenneth Bortz. But, no one can argue that “Lucky” isn’t the perfect name for a dog who has everything.
There will be at least two more estate sales before items go to auction or are sold in bulk.
Bortz’s nieces and nephews in the Midwest will inherit the money once Lucky’s life of luxury ends.
Tags: dog inherits money, Rich dog