The world’s oldest known dog, Bobi, bid a fond farewell to this world last week at an animal hospital in Portugal. Guinness World Records announced the passing of this remarkable canine on Monday, acknowledging his extraordinary life. Bobi’s journey was nothing short of exceptional, as he lived to be an astonishing 31 years and 165 days old. He spent his entire life in the company of his loving human, Leonel Costa, and his family in the charming Portuguese village of Conqueiros.

Source: On Demand News/YouTube

Bobi’s extraordinary longevity captured the world’s attention in February when Guinness World Records officially recognized him as the oldest dog ever known. Just two weeks prior, a 23-year-old Chihuahua named Spike had tried to claim the title. Sadly, Bobi’s recent passing now leaves Ohio-born Spike as the oldest known living dog.

In human terms, Bobi’s age would roughly translate to an impressive 86 years. What makes his story even more remarkable is that he was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese breed of farm and guardian dog typically expected to live for 12 to 14 years.

Bobi’s age was officially verified through his registration with a veterinary medical service in Leiria, Portugal, dating back to 1992. Additionally, his age was confirmed with a Portuguese government-owned pet database, as stated by Guinness World Records.

Bobi’s journey began in a litter of four puppies. Unfortunately, the other three were put down by owner Leonel Costa’s parents, as their farm was already home to numerous animals. At that time, such practices were considered normal among older generations, an unfortunate reality for many pets. However, Bobi’s fate took a different turn when he hid from his siblings’ destiny by concealing himself in a stack of wood. By the time Costa’s parents discovered Bobi, it was too late to take any further action.

Remarkably, Bobi’s long and healthy life was attributed to a simple yet beautiful existence. He was never tied up or leashed and enjoyed a diet consisting exclusively of human food. According to Costa, Bobi’s calm and peaceful life played a pivotal role in his remarkable longevity.

We encourage everyone thinking of getting a pet to adopt instead of shop. Read more resources about adopting animals on One Green Planet, including 7 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Furry Best Friend, 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Adopt a Pet, and These Heartwarming Before and After Pictures of Adopted Rescue Animals Will Make Your Day! Read tips for pet adoptions and what to consider before adopting an animal. We recommend using these apps to find shelter dogs near you!

Best Things In Life Are Rescued by Tiny Rescue: Animal Collection

Related Content:

• Bobi, the World’s Oldest Dog Ever, Turns 31 and Celebrates With Huge Birthday Party
• Woman Who Asked for the ‘Oldest, Hardest to Adopt Dog’ is Restoring Our Faith in Humanity
• Rescued Chihuahua is the World’s Oldest Dog at 21 Years Old
• Finally Home Senior Dog Rescue: Providing Love and Comfort to Senior Pups
• Heartwarming Video Shows Senior Pit Bull on His Adoption Day

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!