Bobi, the world’s oldest known dog ever, passed away last week at an animal hospital in Portugal, Guinness World Records announced Monday.
“Bobi lived to be 31 years 165 days old and spent his entire life with his loving owner Leonel Costa and his family in the Portuguese village of Conqueiros,” the record-keeping company said in a news release.
Bobi was recognized as the oldest dog ever known in February, just two weeks after a 23-year-old Chihuahua named Spike tried to claim the title. His death leaves Ohio-born Spike as the oldest known living dog.
In dog years, Bobi was roughly 86 years old. He was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese breed of farm and guardian dog with a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years.
His age was confirmed by his 1992 registration with a veterinary medical service in Leiria, Portugal, and with a Portuguese government-owned pet database, Guinness said.
Bobi was born in a litter of four puppies; the three others were put down by owner Leonel Costa’s parents because the farm already had too many animals.
“At that time it was considered normal by older people … to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Leonel said in an interview with Guinness.
Costa said he hid Bobi from his parents after he discovered that the dog had escaped his siblings’ fate by hiding in a stack of wood. When Costa’s parents found out, it was too late to put Bobi down.
Costa said Bobi was never tied up or leashed, drank plenty of water and ate human food exclusively. Costa attributed Bobi’s old age to his “calm, peaceful” life.
On Bobi’s 31st birthday, in May, his owner threw him a traditional Portuguese birthday party, attended by more than 100 guests, Guinness said.
Fortunate Rescue: Deaf Dog Stung Countless Times by Bees Receives Lifesaving Help
As if being stung by thousands of bees wasn’t already bad enough, he was abandoned at a shelter after the incident by his family.
The deaf Pit Bull, subsequently dubbed Stinger by rescuers, came at the shelter covered in life-threatening blisters all over his body.
As they couldn’t treat a dog in this bad of condition, they planned on euthanizing him.
That’s when Carri Shipaila, who operates LuvnPupz rescue in Greater Grand Rapids, MI, stepped in to help. As soon as she heardaout Stinger, she hopped in her car and drove nearly an hour to take him up from the shelter.
Regrettably, his family declined to take him, so she immediately began to work to save Stinger’s life. They treated his stings, as well as a subsequent skin infection and sarcoptic mange.
Unfortunately, he wound up having Pemphigus, an autoimmune illness, which he will suffer for the rest of his life.
Because of the costs of his care, he will never be up for adoption, but he did find a loving forever home with a foster and will continue to receive care and therapy from LuvnPupz.
Stinger has come such a long way from when he first was dumped at the shelter. His painful blisters have finally healed and he has a gorgeous white coat.
He is such a lively, loving dog and is enjoying his new life in a loving home!
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