Bobi, the oldest dog in the world, dies at 31 years old

Bobi, the oldest dog in the world, died Saturday at 31 years and 165 days old. The Portuguese mastiff was born on May 11, 1992, and in February of this year he was recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest dog on the planet. His veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, announced the dog's death on Facebook:

Bobi's story

The dog's owner, Leonel Costa and his family, told Bobi's story. Although the mastiff became the oldest dog in the world, his life could have been much shorter. The Guinness World Records website recalls that the dog was born from a litter of four puppies. Leonel's father, already having so many pets decided not to keep it: "Unfortunately, at that time it was considered normal by older people … to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive."

After this, Leonel's parents decided to take the puppies while his mother was traveling. When they took them, they didn't realize that one of them was missing: Bobi. The puppy was found by Leonel and his brothers and by the time the parents discovered that the little mastiff was still there, it was too late. He was already part of the family: "They screamed a lot and punished us, but it was worth it and for a good reason!" Leonel remembers.

So much so that Bobi stayed with the Costa family in a house in the Portuguese town of Conqueiros during his 31 years of life. The secret to its longevity? Leonel says it is a "calm and peaceful" environment, never being tied, chained or strapped and eating exclusively human food: "What we ate, he ate too."