In an unusual turn of events during a divorce proceeding, a couple from Wuhan, China, found themselves entangled in a legal dispute over their pet tortoises, valued at RM110,000.
Married in 2021 but childless, the couple filed for divorce in July this year, citing irreconcilable differences. However, their separation took a peculiar twist when the dispute over their tortoises, purchased earlier this year for 180,000 yuan (approximately RM110,538), captured widespread public attention.
Court records reveal that the woman asserted she had contributed half of the purchase price for the tortoises and demanded 100,000 yuan (around RM61,410) in compensation to relinquish her claim. The judge, acknowledging the husband’s superior experience with pets, determined that the tortoises would be better cared for under his supervision. Despite this, the judge deemed the tortoises as joint property, ordering the husband to pay his estranged wife 80,000 yuan (about RM49,128) to settle the matter.
The case quickly went viral, drawing criticism from netizens who were initially perplexed by the extent of the dispute. “I was baffled by the attachment to tortoises until I learned their total worth,” commented one online observer.