Jorge Geronimo/AP
Guinness World Records announced on Thursday that it would strip the former “oldest dog of all time” title, saying it would not allow sleeping dogs to lie.
Guinness concluded that, according to its review and appeals process, there was no longer any evidence to support Bobi, a native of Portugal and resident of Rafeiro do Alentejo, who could claim the record.
Bobbi is claimed to have lived to be 31 years and 165 days old when he passed away in October 2023, which is approximately 220 years old for a dog. Typically, this breed has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
Mark McKinley, head of Guinness Records, conducted the judging.
“We take great pride in ensuring the accuracy and completeness of all record titles to the greatest extent possible,” McKinley said in a press release. “Following concerns raised privately and publicly by veterans and other experts, and the findings of investigations conducted by some news organizations, it is important that we revisit Bobi's record. I felt that it was.”
He added that Bobi's microchip data was sourced from a Portuguese government database and was used as central evidence to prove his date of birth, but was not conclusive. In Portugal, microchipping of dogs became compulsory in 2008.
“With no conclusive evidence available at this time, we cannot honestly claim to maintain Bobi as the record holder and uphold the high standards he has set for himself,” McKinley said.
Guinness has not revealed who the new record holder will be. Before Bobbi, the oldest dog record holder was Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939 at the age of 29 years and 5 months.