The world’s oldest dog recently celebrated his 31st birthday, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of Portuguese dog, was feted at a party on Saturday at his home in the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where has lived his entire life.
More than 100 people attended the “very traditional” Portuguese party, owner Leonel Costa said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Local meats and fish were served to up to 100 guests, with extra for Bobi, who only eats human food. A dance troupe also performed, with Bobi participating in one of their routines.
Costa has owned several old-aged dogs in the past, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived to the age of 18.
However, Costa said he never imagined any of his dogs would reach their 30s.
“We see situations like this as a normal result of the life that they have, but Bobi is one of a kind,” Costa said.
One of the biggest contributing factors to Bobi’s longevity is the “calm, peaceful environment” in which he lives, Costa said.
Throughout his life, Bobi has freely roamed the forests surrounding the Costa house. He has never been chained or leashed.
The “very sociable” dog was never lonely, because he grew up surrounded by many other animals, Costa said.
Now in his senior years, Bobi finds it difficult to walk, so he prefers to hang out at home in the yard. His eyesight has gotten worse, meaning he often bumps into things when he walks.
Just like old-aged humans, Bobi sleeps a lot. He immediately lies down in bed after eating, although on cold days he chooses to nap by the fire, his owner said.
Bobi’s birth date has been confirmed by Servico Medico-Veterinario do Municipio de Leiria (Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria), which registered Bobi in 1992.
His age also has been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the Sindicato Nacional dos Medicos Veterinarios (National Union of Veterinarians).
Costa, now 38, was just eight years old when Bobi was born.
For him, Bobi is a living reminder of the past, he said.
“Bobi is special, because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and, unfortunately, are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world,” Costa said.
“Bobi represents those generations,” he added.
One of Japan’s biggest pop stars and best-known TV hosts, Masahiro Nakai, yesterday announced his retirement over sexual misconduct allegations, reports said, in the latest scandal to rock Japan’s entertainment industry. Nakai’s announcement came after now-defunct boy band empire Johnny & Associates admitted in 2023 that its late founder, Johnny Kitagawa, for decades sexually assaulted teenage boys and young men. Nakai was a member of the now-disbanded SMAP — part of Johnny & Associates’s lucrative stable — that swept the charts in Japan and across Asia during the band’s nearly 30 years of fame. Reports emerged last month that Nakai, 52, who since
EYEING A SOLUTION: In unusually critical remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump said he was ‘destroying Russia by not making a deal’ US President Donald Trump on Wednesday stepped up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a peace deal with Ukraine, threatening tougher economic measures if Moscow does not agree to end the war. Trump’s warning in a social media post came as the Republican seeks a quick solution to a grinding conflict that he had promised to end before even starting his second term. “If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other
‘BALD-FACED LIE’: The woman is accused of administering non-prescribed drugs to the one-year-old and filmed the toddler’s distress to solicit donations online A social media influencer accused of filming the torture of her baby to gain money allegedly manufactured symptoms causing the toddler to have brain surgery, a magistrate has heard. The 34-year-old Queensland woman is charged with torturing an infant and posting videos of the little girl online to build a social media following and solicit donations. A decision on her bail application in a Brisbane court was yesterday postponed after the magistrate opted to take more time before making a decision in an effort “not to be overwhelmed” by the nature of allegations “so offensive to right-thinking people.” The Sunshine Coast woman —
PINEAPPLE DEBATE: While the owners of the pizzeria dislike pineapple on pizza, a survey last year showed that over 50% of Britons either love or like the topping A trendy pizzeria in the English city of Norwich has declared war on pineapples, charging an eye-watering ￡100 (US$124) for a Hawaiian in a bid to put customers off the disputed topping. Lupa Pizza recently added pizza topped with ham and pineapple to its account on a food delivery app, writing in the description: “Yeah, for ￡100 you can have it. Order the champagne too! Go on, you monster!” “[We] vehemently dislike pineapple on pizza,” Lupa co-owner Francis Wolf said. “We feel like it doesn’t suit pizza at all,” he said. The other co-owner, head chef Quin Jianoran, said they kept tinned pineapple
RSS