Guinness has spent the final month investigating Bobi, a supposedly 31-year-old Rafeiro do Alentejo from Portugal. They determined there’s not sufficient proof to show his age.
The world’s oldest canine has formally been stripped of his Guinness Record title, the authority for all issues world-record-breaking stated Thursday.
Guinness has spent the final month investigating Bobi, a supposedly 31-year-old Rafeiro do Alentejo from Portugal, in response to a “number of veterinarians expressing concern and skepticism over the dog’s age,” in line with earlier AP reporting.
Bobi died about eight months after he was awarded the oldest canine title in February 2023.
They had been “reviewing proof on file, searching for new proof, reaching out to consultants and people linked to the unique software,” Guinness World Records beforehand shared with USA TODAY.
The formal overview outcomes are in, with Guinness finally concluding that Guinness “not has the proof it must assist Bobi’s declare because the document holder,” in line with a news release issued on Thursday.
Here’s what we all know.
Who is Bobi?
Bobi spent his entire life within the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros, about 93 miles north of the nation’s capital of Lisbon. He lived his proprietor Leonel Costa and his household, USA TODAY beforehand reported.
Costa’s father determined that they might not look after the litter of 4 puppies Bobi was born into, as a result of they already had too many animals. So, they determined to eliminate the litter.
“Unfortunately, at that time it was considered normal by older people … to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Costa shared with Guinness.
Costa and his brothers had been capable of finding Bobi alive close by. He was fortunate sufficient to flee, hiding in a pile of wooden at their home.
The siblings stored the puppy’s existence a secret for so long as they might, however when the boys’ mother and father found Bobi was alive, “it was too late to place him down, so Bobi turned part of the household,” Guinness reported.
Bobi led a life full of affection and celebration regardless of the rocky begin.
His household threw the senior canine “a lavish birthday party” with than 100 visitors to rejoice his supposed thirty first birthday. Bobi died about 165 days after his birthday celebration.
He was described by his proprietor as “certainly one of a form” – including that his household was “very completely happy and grateful to life for permitting us, after 30 years, to have Bobi in our day by day lives.”
Bobi’s household hasn’t publicly addressed Guinness’ determination.
What did the formal overview by Guinness World Records discover?
The purpose why Guinness World Records revoked Bob’s document title was as a result of they couldn’t show the canine’s age with the proof supplied.
A central piece of proof tied to Bobi’s preliminary software was 2022 microchip information from a authorities database that did “not require proof of age for dogs born before 2008.”
“With the additional veterinary statement provided as evidence for Bobi’s age also citing this microchip data, we’re left with no conclusive evidence which can definitively prove Bobi’s date of birth,” Mark McKinley, director of data stated in an announcement.
Mckinley added that Guinness “simply can’t retain Bobi as the record holder and honestly claim to maintain the high standards we set ourselves.”
Will a brand new document holder be named?
Eventually, however most likely not for some time.
The investigation into Bobi’s age was one of many causes for the transfer, with Mckinley saying that it could take a “long time for microchip uptake around the world to catch up with pet ownership. Especially, older pets.”
“Until that time, we’ll require documentary evidence for all years of a pet’s life, we’ll continue to ask for vet and witness statements and we’ll also consider microchip data as well where available,” he stated.
Guinness just isn’t presently in a position to verify a brand new holder for world’s oldest canine, however added that they “certainly hope that the publicity around the record title encourages pet owners from around the world to get in touch,” Mckinley stated.
