Meet Bobi, The World’s Oldest Dog on Record
Crowned the world’s oldest living dog and the oldest dog in history, Bobi the Rafeiro do Alentejo just celebrated his 31st birthday — but his owner Leonel Costa says he initially wasn’t even supposed to survive to adulthood. After he was born in May 1992, Costa’s father decided the family already had too many animals to care for and buried the unwanted litter, a common practice at the time.
When Costa and his brother discovered that one of the puppies had somehow been left behind, they decided to secretly care for Bobi, watching over him until his eyes opened. Fortunately, Costa’s parents eventually agreed to let Bobi stay with the family, and the dog who almost died as a puppy kept on living — and living. Today, his owners credit his longevity to his diet, his peaceful outdoor lifestyle, and the fact that Bobi, surrounded by other animals, has never been lonely.