A 30-year-old Portuguese dog has been named as the world's oldest ever by Guinness World Records - beating a record that stood for a century.
Bobi, who lives in Portugal, is an astounding 30 years and 267 days old! Bobi’s age was verified by SIAC, a pet database used by veterinarians and authorized by the Portuguese government.
Bobi was born, along with three other male puppies, in the rural village of Conqueiros in Portugal. At the time, the family who owned them already had a number of animals and decided they could not take care of any more.
One of the family's sons is Bobi's current owner, Leonel Costa, 38. He told Guinness World Records that it was common for people to bury newborn puppies they could not keep. So, once Bobi and his brothers were born, Costa's father took them away to be buried.
But days after, Costa noticed something strange. Bobi's mother, Gira, continued to return to the shed where her puppies were born, despite it being empty. One day, Costa and his brothers decided to follow Gira and soon discovered that Bobi was alive, still in the shed.
Costa believes his father possibly overlooked Bobi because his brown fur coat camouflaged him in the shed. Costa and his siblings decided to keep Bobi a secret for a few weeks, just until Bobi was old enough that his eyes would open and Costa's parents would not have the heart to turn him away, Costa recalled.
"I confess that when they found out that we already knew, they screamed a lot and punished us, but it was worth it and for a good reason!" Costa said.
Bobi has gone on to live a long, peaceful life. Costa said Bobi has never been chained or leashed, but instead is allowed to roam free in forests and farmland that surrounded Costa's family home. He has always eaten unseasoned human food, which Costa thinks has contributed to Bobi's longevity.
At 30 years old, Bobi has difficulty walking and his eyesight has worsened, according to Costas. But the elderly dog continues to enjoy each day, resting, spending time with feline friends and relaxing by the fire when it gets chilly.
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Bobi, who lives in Portugal, is an astounding 30 years and 267 days old! Bobi’s age was verified by SIAC, a pet database used by veterinarians and authorized by the Portuguese government.
Bobi was born, along with three other male puppies, in the rural village of Conqueiros in Portugal. At the time, the family who owned them already had a number of animals and decided they could not take care of any more.
One of the family's sons is Bobi's current owner, Leonel Costa, 38. He told Guinness World Records that it was common for people to bury newborn puppies they could not keep. So, once Bobi and his brothers were born, Costa's father took them away to be buried.
But days after, Costa noticed something strange. Bobi's mother, Gira, continued to return to the shed where her puppies were born, despite it being empty. One day, Costa and his brothers decided to follow Gira and soon discovered that Bobi was alive, still in the shed.
Costa believes his father possibly overlooked Bobi because his brown fur coat camouflaged him in the shed. Costa and his siblings decided to keep Bobi a secret for a few weeks, just until Bobi was old enough that his eyes would open and Costa's parents would not have the heart to turn him away, Costa recalled.
Bobi has gone on to live a long, peaceful life. Costa said Bobi has never been chained or leashed, but instead is allowed to roam free in forests and farmland that surrounded Costa's family home. He has always eaten unseasoned human food, which Costa thinks has contributed to Bobi's longevity.
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