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.
Heartwarming Rescue: Heroic Efforts to Save an Elderly Canine Stranded on an Ice Floe in the Freezing River for Hours
“From Frigid Waters to a Warm Home: Lucy’s Remarkable Rescue and Heartwarming Reunion”
The initial days in a new home can be quite overwhelming for a rescue dog, often leading them to attempt to run away. Such was the case with Lucy, a recently adopted Labradoodle who managed to slip away from her new owner during a walk. Fortunately, locating Lucy didn’t take long, but bringing her back home proved to be a challenging task.
To everyone’s surprise, Lucy ended up stranded on a large piece of ice in the icy waters of the Detroit River. It remains a mystery how she got there, but there she was, clinging to the drifting ice with frigid water flowing around her. The situation was dire, with the risk of hypothermia looming if she remained on the ice much longer. Responding swiftly to the distress call, a team of Wyandotte police officers, firefighters, and animal control officers arrived to lend a hand.
Upon arrival, they found Lucy, trembling and drenched, lying on the ice. Determined to save her, they managed to maneuver the ice chunk closer to the riverbank. A firefighter bravely stood on a slippery, submerged ladder while his colleagues provided essential support by holding onto him with a rope.
“The poor pooch somehow managed to climb onto a chunk of ice but it was drifting away in the river while the dog was freezing,” the police department recounted.
During the daring rescue operation, one firefighter held a ladder against a nearby dock, while another descended it into the freezing water. With the help of a tool called a catchpole, they gently looped it around Lucy’s neck, carefully pulling her towards the ladder. Although the terrified pup had to endure a few seconds in the icy water, the firefighter held her securely in his arms.
Wyandotte Assistant Fire Chief Tom Lyon later described the heartwarming outcome, saying, “It had such a happy outcome. She just had those big brown eyes, and she couldn’t talk, but she probably was just so grateful.”
Lucy was promptly warmed up, and her worried owner was overjoyed to be reunited with her. After a thorough examination by a veterinarian, Lucy received a clean bill of health.
It’s safe to say that Lucy will be spending her days cozily wrapped in a blanket, basking in the warmth of her new home with her loving family.
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