Large Donation Goes To The Wrong Animal Shelter

Recently, Susan Babbit at the Friends of Collinsville Animal Shelter received a call that a woman had died and left money to that charity. For Ms. Babbit, it was a dream come true. She was shocked. A few days later she learned that the woman was Mary Kay Thomas, who had died without family. Ms. Babbit learned that Ms. Thomas wanted to donate 27.5% or $188,891.03 of her estate to the animal shelter. The money was such a welcomed addition to the shelter that Ms. Babbit never questions why Ms. Thomas would ever give such a large amount to an organization that she was not connected with.

Well, Ms. Babbit’s dream come true quickly became a nightmare. Soon after Ms. Babbit deposited the check in the organization’s account, she received a call letting her know that the law firm that originally called her made a mistake. The check went to wrong shelter. Instead, the check was suppose to go an organization of the same name but in Illinois not to their shelter in Oklahoma. An attorney that she consulteed with told her that she had to return the money. The law firm that made the mistake only learned about the clerical error when the real shelter called to inquire about the status of the check. Ms. Babbit says that she will return check eventually although she has not gotten around to it. The law firm stated that they felt sorry for the mistake and have agreed to donate $12,000 to Ms. Babbit’s animal shelter.

See Abby Ellin, $188K Donation Goes to Wrong Collinsville Animal Shelter, ABC: Good Morning America, May 10, 2013.

Special thanks to Michael Hatfield (Professor of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.