An American businesswoman has left $100,000 (£81,000) to her dog, cat and 32 cockatiels (miniature cockatoos).

Leslie Ann Mandel, who owned a successful direct mailing business and was married to the science fiction writer Arthur Herzog, left an estate valued at $5.3m when she died in New York in June.

Her will named her stepson, Matthew, as the trustee of a fund set up to look after her pets.

The New York Post reports that Ms Mandel left specific instructions that the birds should continue to live in the aviary in her $4m property and that her cat and dog should also be taken care of.

While Ms Mandel was specific about her pets, however, she was more vague about the remainder of her estate.

A 2005 will left everything to Arthur Herzog, or his son Matthew if Arthur was to die before she did. However, a year later she crossed out Matthew’s name and replaced it with his sister Avi’s.

The pair are now in dispute about whether the annotated will is valid. They are due in court later this month.