Pet longevity records keep toppling. And Guinness World Records is scrambling to keep up.
The newly-crowned canine champion: Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, hit his 31st birthday in mid-May. Spike, a Chihuahua mix from Camden Ohio, held the official title for a mere two weeks before Bobi was discovered.
At 23-plus years, Spike boasts impressive fortitude; especially given his history as a rescue when he was 10 years old. By contrast, Bobi has lived his entire life with the Costa family in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal. To put Bobi’s feat in perspective, the average lifespan of the herding Rafeiro do Alentejo is 12-14 years.
Bobi now holds both the Guinness title of Oldest Living Dog and Oldest Dog Ever, as meticulously verified my medical records. The latter distinction was held by almost a century by Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, who lived an astounding 29 years and 5 months. An Australian cattle dog-Labrodore mix named Chilla, reputedly lived an anecdotal 32 years, 3 days in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.
Bobi’s age has also been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the SNMV (Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários; National Union of Veterinarians).
Leonel Costa, now 38, had known Bobi since age seven. Costa attributes Bobi’s longevity to the pastoral, stress-free environment in which he’s had free range. The biggest factor is the “calm, peaceful environment” he lives in, “far from the cities.” No chains or leashes required. He’s also enjoys a human-grade diet.
That Bobi survived at all, let alone grow into an old-aged wonder, is miraculous. When Bobi’s mother, Gira, birthed her litter, Leonel’s family chose not to keep the puppies. “Unfortunately, at that time it was considered normal by older people who could not have more animals at home […] to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Leonel told Guinness.
Leonel’s parents snuck into the dogs’ lair and took the pups while Gira was distracted. In the coming days, Leonel and his brothers were heartbroken. They were also puzzled as to why Gira would return daily to her empty lair. One day, they trailed her and discovered that one puppy had gone undetected in a woodpile. The Costa children vowed not to tell their parents.
“We knew that when the dog opened its eyes, my parents would no longer bury it,” Leonel continued. “It was popular knowledge that this act could not or should be done.” Leonel said his parents were outraged at first and punished the boys, “ . . . but it was worth it and for a good reason.”
Bobi now spends most of his days lounging after meals and hanging outdoors with his cat buddies. He lounges by the fire on colder days.
Last December, Flossie the feline grabbed Guinness’ trophy for the world’s oldest cat. At 27, she’s outlived three of her four pet parents.
Live long and paw-sper!