A 50-year-old farmer in a village in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, apprehensive that his dog may not be taken care of after his death, has named the canine and his wife as his legal heirs in his will.
Omnarayan Verma of Badiwara village in Chaurai tehsil made the will about a week back as his ‘first and last will’. According to the will, his legal heirs include his wife Champa Bai, 47, and Jackie, 11-month-old, his pet dog.
“My wife Champa Bai lives with me and takes care of me. Jackie is my pet dog and it also takes care of me. I immensely love both of them. I am in good health at the moment. I fear that my pet dog may become an orphan after my death. I wish to give Jackie a share in my property so that he doesn’t become an orphan and he is well taken care of. I strongly believe that the two will take care of me till my last breath and after my death they will perform my last rites,” Verma stated in his will.
The farmer went on to emphasize in his will that the two will be his legal heirs and after his death they would be owners of his properties. “Whoever will take care of Jackie after my death will use his share in my properties to look after him and will become owner of Jackie’s share of the property after his death”, states the will.
{{/usCountry}}The farmer went on to emphasize in his will that the two will be his legal heirs and after his death they would be owners of his properties. “Whoever will take care of Jackie after my death will use his share in my properties to look after him and will become owner of Jackie’s share of the property after his death”, states the will.
{{/usCountry}}The properties mentioned in the will include agriculture land of about 21 acre.
Verma said he made will after a domestic dispute and hinted that for practical purposes, the will is all but cancelled.
“I have loved dogs since my childhood. I got the puppy from my son-in-law after my previous dog died. I got the will notarised after a domestic dispute when I thought that Jackie might be abandoned after my death. My son was upset with me. The village sarpanch came to me and asked me to cancel the will. Though the will is not cancelled yet, the issue stands resolved within the family,” Verma said.
Sarpanch of the village Jamuna Prasad Verma said, “I went to Verma’s house along with some other members of the panchayat and tried to reason with him that such a will had no value but it would definitely cause a rift in his family. I think he wrote the will and got it notarised out of anger. He has assured me that he would cancel the will.”