Bobi ‘the world’s oldest canine’ LOSES title – 4 months after he died

Bobi ‘the world’s oldest canine’ has misplaced his title 4 months after he died, with Guinness World Records saying there may be ‘no conclusive proof’ to help the declare he was 31 years outdated.

Following complaints by some vets who raised doubts over his age, Guinness World Records final month began a proper evaluation of the title issued final February. 

It stated Bobi was 31 years and 165 days outdated, breaking a file held since 1939 by an Australian cattle-dog that died at 29 years and 5 months.

Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro Alentejano who spent his life in a village in central Portugal, died in October. 

His breed, historically used as sheepdogs, often has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. 

Mark McKinley, director of data at GWR, stated in an announcement that microchip knowledge sourced from the official Portuguese database had been central to Bobi’s proof, but it surely turned out the chipping didn’t require proof of age for canines born earlier than 2008.

‘With the extra veterinary assertion supplied as proof for Bobi’s age additionally citing this microchip knowledge, we’re left with no conclusive proof which might definitively show Bobi’s date of beginning,’ he wrote.

‘Without any conclusive proof accessible to us proper now, we merely cannot retain Bobi because the file holder and actually declare to keep up the excessive requirements we set ourselves.’

Following the suspension of Bobi’s title, his proprietor final month hit out at ‘parasites’ linked to the veterinary world in a scathing assault over the ‘marketing campaign’ to get his beloved pet dethroned.

Portuguese nationwide Leonel Costa stated trade individuals with a vested curiosity in promoting ‘processed’ pet meals had focused him and his canine as a result of he had extolled the virtues of human meals for his four-legged pal.

Some observers famous Bobi, a Portuguese breed of livestock guardian canine, had white paws in outdated images whereas they had been brown when he died.

Breaking his silence in a no-holds-barred assault on the vets and different critics who’ve forged doubt on the canine’s record-breaking age, Mr Costa stated a marketing campaign of discredit was being fuelled by vested pursuits bent on safeguarding the processed animal feed enterprise. 

He stated in an announcement: ‘Bobi had an extended life consuming pure meals, in addition to solely important vaccinations and a way of life that supplied his longevity.

‘So it turns into troublesome for these individuals to proceed to convey to any animal proprietor that pure meals just isn’t advisable.

‘Bobi, like different animals on this world, proves that consuming the meals they suggest just isn’t an indication of a greater high quality of life.

‘Being a veterinarian is among the most noble professions as a result of due to its professionals, our animals can have the important care to reside by our facet for a very long time.

‘Fortunately, not all veterinarians suppose the identical method because the ‘elite’ whose goal is clearly to discredit Bobi’s life.’

Questioning why critics had waited until his canine had died to forged doubt on his age, he added: ‘I utterly perceive that it’s troublesome for these individuals to just accept that an animal lives for thus a few years, opposite to lots of their directions, however I can’t permit them to tarnish Bobi’s title and his honourable life. You can assault me, I’m right here for you, however I will not permit it with Bobi.’

Mr Costa held the final party for the farm canine on May 11 final 12 months within the village of Conqueiros in Portugal’s Leiria district the place he was born.

Local meat and fish had been served as much as greater than 100 visitors, a few of whom flew in from overseas, with further for Bobi.

He was awarded a Guinness World Record title for the oldest canine on the planet final February, changing a chihuahua residing in Ohio within the USA that had beforehand been thought to be the record-holder.

Bobi was additionally recorded because the world’s oldest canine ever, with the earlier file being held by an Australian cattle canine who died in 1939 aged 29 years and 5 months.

Mr Costa, now 38, stated he was solely eight when his beloved pet was born in an outhouse the place his household saved wooden.

He stated when he claimed that Bobi had turned 31: ‘Bobi has been a warrior for all these years, solely he is aware of how he is been holding on, it should not be straightforward as a result of the typical canine’s life span just isn’t that top and if he spoke solely he might clarify this success.

‘We are very pleased and grateful to life for permitting us, after 30 years, to have Bobi in our every day lives.’

He went on on the time to attribute the animal’s longevity to the ‘calm, peaceable surroundings he lives in, his eating regimen of human meals and his freedom’. 

A spokeswoman for Guinness World Records confirmed final month {that a} formal evaluation was ongoing.

She stated: ‘While our evaluation is ongoing we’ve determined to briefly pause each the file titles for “oldest dog living” and “oldest dog ever” – simply till all of our findings are in place.’

Bobi’s beginning was apparently confirmed by the Portuguese authorities’s pet database.

But an investigation from Wired journal discovered that he had solely been registered in 2022 – a 12 months earlier than he died.

The proprietor of a Lisbon-based pet pictures studio revealed the unhappy information of Bobi’s demise on October 21 final 12 months, noting in a social media publish alongside a photograph of the pooch: ‘Rest in peace pal.

‘Thank you for having had the privilege of assembly you, the oldest canine on the planet.’

The publish continued: ‘What an incredible life you had.’

Danny Chambers, a vet and council member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which represents 18,000 vets, instructed the Guardian shortly after Bobi’s demise that ‘not a single one among my veterinary colleagues imagine he was really 31 years outdated’.