Paul O’Grady died suddenly last March but left strict instructions in his will for what would happen to his home and animals.

Paul O’Grady’s husband says he took the dogs for a final goodbye

Animal lover Paul O’Grady would have been celebrating his 68th birthday this weekend had he still been alive. Sadly, the ITV For the Love of Dogs presenter died suddenly on March 28 last year from sudden cardiac arrhythmia – leaving behind a huge farm home and an abundance of animals.

The much-loved star moved to London from Birkenhead as he began his comedy career on the pub and club circuit. He later settled in a stunning home on a farm in Kent, which he shared with many furry friends as well as his ballet-dancer husband, Andre Portasio.

Before his sudden death, the Merseyside-born performer often updated his fans on Instagram giving an insight into his humble abode. He lived with five rescue dogs as well as a menagerie of pigs, sheep, chickens, goats, and owls.

Paul cared dearly for all animals so it was no surprise when he even considered them in his will. One year after his death, it was revealed who would look after Paul’s dogs and what they were left behind by the legendary entertainer.

What happened to Paul O’Grady’s dogs and other animals when he died?

According to The Mirror, Paul had five rescue dogs – Nancy, Arfur, Conchita, Eddie and Sausage – when he passed away. Both Nancy and Sausage were rescued from Battersea during filming for the hit television show. The star once said that “under no circumstances” was he allowed to go home with any more animals – but those two ended up being the exception.

Paul and his husband Andre Portasio also shared their land with chickens, pigs, sheep, goats and alpacas – though Paul sadly lost one of his dear pet pigs, Tom Tom, just before his death.

Paul set aside a sizeable amount in his £15.5million will for his dogs. It stated that his five pups should get £125,000 in the wake of his death.

He wrote: “The legacy shall mean £25,000 in respect of each animal. I direct that Joan shall take over the responsibility of each animal… to use each legacy for the upkeep and maintenance of each animal until its death.” His agent Joan Marshrons now cares for Nancy, Arfur, Conchita, Eddie, and Sausage and will until they die.

However, his husband Andre faced further loss as he announced the sad news that their goats, Maleficent and Beebo, had died just two months after the late TV star passed.

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In June 2023, Andre posted a photo of Paul and wrote on Instagram: “Bad news that keeps on coming… a very sad day at our house. @paulogrady goats Maleficent and Beebo have both passed away today.”

What happened to Paul O’Grady’s home when he died?

For The Love Of Dogs presenter Paul bought the farm on a gently sloping hill eight miles outside of Ashford in August 1999 for £650,000. It has six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 52 acres of land as well as a further four acres of woodland.

Ballet dancer Andre inherited the property on his death and, according to documents, is now “in the process of re-rationalising the estate”.

The widower has since lodged plans to transform a redundant security office on the rural estate he inherited into a house three times the size. But he faces a potential fight with environmentalists who have slammed the idea, saying the new home “fails to conserve or enhance the special character and qualities” of the Kent Downs.