The oldest dog in world history has passed on and ascended to a place where pooches play fetch for an eternity.
Bobi died Sunday at the ripe old age of 31. The furry friend belonged to the Costa family, who lived in the village of Conqueiros, Portugal. Bobi was not merely the world’s current oldest canine, but he was the oldest living dog ever, according to Guinness World Records.
Dr. Karen Becker, a veterinarian who knew Bobi well, announced the news of his passing.
“Despite outliving every dog in history, his 11,478 days on earth would never be enough, for those who loved him,” Dr. Becker wrote in a statement on Facebook.
Bobi was born in 1992. The SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government, verified his age, according to the Guinness World Records.
Surprisingly, he was lucky to live at all. (RELATED: Zoo Elephant Dies After Small Dog Caused Herd To Panic)
When Bobi’s mother gave birth to him and his other siblings, the Costa family reportedly decided they had too many animals. At the time, it was customary to bury unwanted animals, and this is exactly what owner Leonel did, according to Reuters.
However, when he took Bobi’s siblings away, he accidentally left Bobi at home, who ended up hidden in a pile of wood. The children of the family discovered Bobi was still alive in the shed. Instead of alerting his presence to their parents, they kept him a secret until he was much too old to be put down, per Guinness World Records. He was later accepted as a welcome addition to the family, and the rest was history.
Bobi lived with the Costa family for his entire life, and his diet heavily consisted of human food, Sky News noted.
Although the legendary pooch is no longer here, one thing is apparent: Bobi was special.