Nothing lasts forever, but for Bobi, the Portuguese mastiff, his title as the “world’s oldest” dog didn’t even last a year. In a surprising turn of events, on Thursday (Feb 22) Bobi was dethroned by Guinness World Records (GWR). The canine’s title was revoked after officials could not substantiate his age claims.
What Guinness World Record said
In a statement, GWR declared that it “no longer has the evidence it needs to support Bobi’s claim as the record holder.”
The dog’s owners had asserted that Bobi was 31 years and five months old when he passed away in October. This age, equivalent to approximately 220 canine years, had initially secured Bobi’s position as both the oldest living dog and the oldest dog ever recorded by GWR.
However, doubts surrounding Bobi’s age surfaced soon after his “coronation”. Veterinary experts questioned the feasibility of a dog living that long, with some pointing to discrepancies in photographs of Bobi from 1999 compared to those taken before his death in Portugal last year.
While Bobi’s age had been registered on Portugal’s national pet database, critics noted that this was based on the owners’ self-certification, and pet microchipping in Portugal only began in 2008. Genetic testing confirmed that Bobi was indeed old but could not pinpoint his exact age.
False claims
Danny Chambers, a vet and council member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, soon after Bobi’s death suggested that claims about the dog’s age were false.
Chambers emphasised the implausibility of a dog living over 30 years, likening it to a human living beyond 200 years was inconceivable.
“This is the equivalent of a human living to over 200 years old which, given our current medical capabilities, is completely implausible. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and no concrete evidence has been provided to prove his age,” he said.
An investigation by the technology magazine Wired discovered the Portuguese database had “no registration or data that can confirm or deny” the owners’ claims that Bobi was born in 1992. Despite requests for clarification, Bobi’s owner, Leonel Costa, did not respond to inquiries.
Following these revelations and concerns raised by experts and media outlets, GWR initiated a review of Bobi’s record.
Mark McKinley of GWR, who conducted the review, expressed the organisation’s commitment to ensuring the accuracy and integrity of its records. McKinley explained, “Following concerns raised by vets and other experts, both privately as well as within public commentary, and the findings of investigations conducted by some media outlets, we felt it important to open a review into Bobi’s record.”