Chestertown hit the jackpot this week. And it’s all a bit mysterious.
On March 27 Chestertown attorney Stewart Barroll received notice that the town has been bequeathed $27 million from the estate of the late Jacob Willougby of Richmond, Virginia.
The huge sum comes with a catch, however—the town must also care for Willoughby’s six-year-old giraffe, Binny.
Binny is a 15ft tall male West African giraffe weighing in at about 2,200 pounds.
If the town declines care for the animal, or in any way tries to alter the will’s directive, the remaining portion of the bequest—paid yearly for 5 years— will be terminated and awarded to the next proposed recipient in line.
“The idea of an owner providing for the care of his animal after the owner dies has gone from something that seems laughable to something that’s now very mainstream. The Town, in effect, will be serving as trustee of a pet trust,” Barroll told the Spy.
Willoughby’s relationship to the town seems to be a mystery. A spokesman for the farmer’s estate said that, aside from the bequest and details about Binny’s life, only a postcard found among Willougby’s personal papers connected the billionaire peanut farmer to Chestertown.
The card reads, “Until April, Monica,” and had a circa 1970s photograph of Fountain Park on the front.
According to Global Environment Initiative (GEI) statements, Willougby, was also an accomplished veterinarian who spent time treating animals in Africa, and had taken responsibility for Binny after the creature had been wounded during a poaching effort near Falls National Park in Uganda.
The Richmond-Times Dispatch obituary for Willoughby noted that in 2012 the philanthropist had an entire indoor veldt constructed in 3 weeks on his farm south of Richmond.
While the $27 million is a spectacular windfall for the community, there is great concern over how to take manage and care for the giraffe.
Town Manager Bill Ingersoll said that the height requirements in the zoning ordinance and prohibition on keeping wild animals might be a hurdle for the town.
“One idea would be to keep down near the water treatment plant,” he said. “That way he could graze in the open fields and we would have to do much cleanup.”
Town May Chris Cerino, always looking to turn a challenge into an opportunity said, “I currently have a dog and a cat, so learning how to care for a giraffe will definitely be a bit of a stretch, so to speak. That said, being the only Town on the Eastern Shore with its own pet giraffe has the potential to be a tremendous tourist draw for Chestertown that will stimulate economic activity in the community and spur job creation.”
A photograph of Binny was included in the document along with feeding and care instructions. Giraffes in the wild primarily eat acacia trees, and that could become an expensive issue for Binny’s care.
Marc Thorson, a veldt-specialist from the San Diego Zoo contacted the town to suggest fake feeding trees until the town’s own acacia forest could be produced. “The idea is to build faux trees and dangle acacia leaves fro their branches. It works for us. Could for you. And good luck with the acacia forest, thing,” he said.
“For now, guarding the legacy will be paramount. It’s pretty ironclad, but there appears to be part of paragraph missing. I’m checking into that now. In the meantime, Chestertown, get ready for your new, very tall neighbor,” Barroll said.
Binney will arrive on April 1, also known as April Fools Day.
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Christine Brennan says
Absolutely brilliant. Had us going until the last line. Bravo!