Minsk:
A dog from a small village in Belarus has inherited a fortune of nearly $1 million from a US citizen of Belarusian origin.
The 10-year-old dog, Zhulik (Swindler), inherited the fortune from late John Fyodorov, who was born in Budochka village but migrated to the US after World War II, Respublika daily reported.
According to Zhulik's owner Vasily Potapov, Fyodorov visited the small village in Belarus in 2007 and said the dog reminded him of his dog Valet that died in 1950s. Valet was ill at that time but while deciding between an expensive surgery for the dog and buying a ticket to Sacramento, Fyodorov chose the latter.
The dog died but since then Fyodorov could not forgive himself for the death of his best friend. So he chose to expiate by indulging on a dog that belonged to his native country Belarusia, a landlocked country is eastern Europe.
Maria Protasenya, a lawyer from Belarusian capital Minsk, confirmed a special bank account was opened for Zhulik which currently boasts $993,700.
According to Fyodorov's last will, the dog has now its own room with a large bed and plasma TV, balanced meals three-times a day, which must include not less than half a kilogram of meat, as well as walks in the fresh air and showers twice a day.
Zhulik also has the right to travel once a year to any country around the globe, which the dog will be choosing by having pointed its muzzle on a map. The closest date for the dog to travel is July and Zhulik's owner Potapov said he hoped his pet would point its muzzle to Paris.