Bobi 'world's oldest dog' LOSES title – four months after death: Guinness World Records says there is 'no conclusive evidence' to support claim he was 31 years old

Bobi 'the world's oldest dog' has lost his title four months after his death, with Guinness World Records saying there is 'no conclusive evidence' to support the claim he was 31 years old.

After complaints from some veterinarians who questioned his age, Guinness World Records last month began a formal review of the title issued last February.

It said Bobi was 31 years and 165 days old, breaking a record held since 1939 by an Australian cattle dog who died at 29 years and five months.

Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro Alentejano who spent his life in a village in central Portugal, died in October.

Traditionally used as a herding dog, his breed typically has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years.

Mark McKinley, director of administration at GWR, said in a statement that microchip data taken from the official Portuguese database was central to Bobi's evidence, but it emerged that chipping did not require proof of age for dogs born before 2008.

“With the additional veterinary certificate provided as proof of Bobi's age and also citing this microchip data, we have no conclusive evidence that can definitively prove Bobi's date of birth,” he wrote.

“Without conclusive evidence available to us at this time, we simply cannot retain Bobi as the record holder and honestly claim that we can maintain the high standards we set for ourselves.”

Following the suspension of Bobi's title, his owner last month attacked 'parasites' from the veterinary world in a scathing attack on the 'campaign' to dethrone his beloved pet.

Portuguese national Leonel Costa said industry figures with a vested interest in selling 'processed' pet food had targeted him and his dog for extolling the virtues of human nutrition for his four-legged friend.

Some observers noted that Bobi, a Portuguese breed of cattle herder, had white legs in old photos, while they were brown when he died.

Mr Costa broke his silence in an unqualified attack on the vets and other critics who have cast doubt on the dog's record age. He said it was a campaign of discredit by vested interests seeking to protect the processed pet food industry. .

He said in a statement: 'Bobi lived a long life by eating natural foods, as well as only essential vaccinations and a lifestyle that ensured longevity.

'It will therefore be difficult for these people to make it clear to any animal owner that natural food is not recommended.

'Bobi, like other animals in this world, proves that eating the food they recommend is not a sign of a better quality of life.

'Being a veterinarian is one of the noblest professions, because thanks to the professionals, our animals can receive the essential care to live a long life by our side.

“Fortunately, not all vets think the same way as the 'elite' whose goal is clearly to discredit Bobi's life.”

Questioning why critics had waited until his dog's death to cast doubt on his age, he added: “I fully understand that it is difficult for these people to accept that an animal lives for so many years, in conflict with many of their instructions, but I will not allow them to tarnish Bobi's name and his honorable life. You can attack me, I'm here for you, but I won't allow it with Bobi.'

Mr Costa held the farm dog's last birthday party on May 11 last year in the village of Conqueiros in Portugal's Leiria district, where he was born.

Local meat and fish were served to more than 100 guests, some of which came from abroad, with a bonus for Bobi.

He was awarded a Guinness World Record title last February for the oldest dog in the world, replacing a Chihuahua living in Ohio, US, who was previously considered the record holder.

Bobi was also recorded as the world's oldest ever dog, with the previous record held by an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939 at 29 years and five months old.

Mr Costa, now 38, said he was just eight when his beloved pet was born in an outbuilding where his family stored wood.

He said when claiming that Bobi had turned 31: 'Bobi has been a warrior all these years, only he knows how to endure, it must not be easy because the average lifespan of a dog is not that high and as he spoke only he could explain this success.

“We are very happy and grateful that after 30 years, life allows us to have Bobi in our daily lives.”

At the time, he attributed the animal's longevity to the “calm, peaceful environment in which it lives, its diet of human food and its freedom.”

A spokeswoman for Guinness World Records confirmed last month that a formal review was underway.

She said: 'While our review is still ongoing, we have decided to temporarily pause both the record titles for 'oldest living dog' and 'oldest dog ever' – until all our findings are known.”

Bobi's birth was apparently confirmed by the Portuguese government's pet database.

But research by Wired magazine found he wasn't registered until 2022 – a year before he died.

The owner of a Lisbon-based pet photography studio revealed the sad news of Bobi's death on October 21 last year, noting in a social media post alongside a photo of the dog: 'Rest in peace friend.

“Thank you for having the privilege of meeting you, the oldest dog in the world.”

The post continued: “What an amazing life you have had.”

Danny Chambers, a veterinarian and council member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which represents 18,000 veterinarians, told the Guardian shortly after Bobi's death that “none of my veterinary colleagues believe he was actually 31 years old.”