Guinness Loses the Oldest Dog

The Guinness World Records announced on Monday that Bobby, the oldest dog in the world, passed away at the age of 31 in Portugal. Bobby was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo and spent his entire life in a village in central Portugal. He lived for 31 years and 165 days, breaking the previous record held since 1939 by an Australian dog that lived for 29 years and five months. Veterinarian Karen Becker, who saw Bobby several times and was the first to announce his passing on social media, stated, "Although he lived longer than any dog in history, the 11,478 days he spent on Earth will never be enough for those who loved him... It was a successful journey, Bobby." Bobby was declared the oldest dog in the world in February of this year. Typically, the life expectancy of Bobby's breed, which has traditionally been used as sheepdogs, ranges from 12 to 14 years. His owner, Leonel Costa, attributed Bobby's longevity to several factors, including living peacefully in the countryside, never being restrained or leashed, and always eating "human food." When Bobby was born, the Costa family had many animals and little money, so his father, a hunter, generally buried newborn puppies instead of keeping them. However, Bobby hid among a pile of firewood. Costa and his siblings found him a few days later and kept him secret until the puppy opened his eyes. Costa told Reuters earlier this year, "We knew that once he opened his eyes, my parents wouldn’t be able to bury him." Before his passing, Bobby still enjoyed walking but became less adventurous. His fur thinned, his eyesight deteriorated, and he needed more rest than usual. The Guinness World Records previously described Bobby's story as a "miracle" and stated on Monday, "We will miss him dearly." They added that over 100 people attended his 31st birthday celebration last May.