No Dog-Eat-Dog World for Star Trek's Canine Heirs

Gene Roddenberry's widow set aside upward of $4 million for her dogs' care

By Natalie Finn Apr 23, 2009 1:27 AMTags
Majel Barrett, Star TrekCBS

Before she died, the widow of the man who created Star Trek boldly went where few have gone before.

Into Leona Helmsley territory.

Gene Roddenberry's wife, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, an actress who also served as the voice of the USS Enterprise's computer, set up a nifty little multimillion-dollar trust for her beloved pooches to ensure that they would remain in the lap of luxury after she was gone.

According to probate documents obtained by E! News, Roddenberry set aside $4 million so that her dogs could go on living in one of her mansions, while their longtime caretaker, Reinelda Estupinian, gets $1 million and residential rights in the expansive home.

"I do not want the animals to be placed in a kennel or other boarding facility," Majel stated, adding that she also wished for her trustees to hire someone to check up on the dogs periodically, "to be certain that they are being cared for properly (as I cared for them during my lifetime)."

But there's no need to weep for her human heirs. Roddenberry left $100 million to her 35-year-old son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr., to be paid out in installments, and the special lady in his life has permission to borrow Majel's jewelry.

Gene Roddenberry died in 1991. Both his and Majel's ashes are set to be rocket-launched into orbit sometime next year.