Bobi, the world’s oldest dog living and oldest dog, celebrated his 31st birthday on May 11, 2023. The birthday party was held on May 13 at his home in the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where Bobi has lived his entire life. Over 100 guests, many of whom flew in from foreign countries. A dance troupe performed, with Bobi even participating in one of the dances.
Bobi’s owner, Leonel Costa, shared that life has been hectic for Bobi since he was awarded his Guinness World Records title in February. Many journalists and visitors have come from around the world to take a picture with Bobi, resulting in physical and mental stress for the senior dog. Nevertheless, Bobi remains in good health, and Serviço Medico-Veterinário has confirmed his birthdate do Município de Leiria, and SIAC has verified his age.
According to Leonel, one of the biggest contributing factors to Bobi’s longevity is the “calm, peaceful environment” he lives in. Bobi has always been allowed to roam freely in the forests surrounding the Costa house and has grown up surrounded by other animals. Now in his senior years, Bobi prefers to hang out at home in the yard, sleeps a lot, and has difficulty walking due to his age.
For Leonel, who was only eight when Bobi was born, Bobi is a living reminder of the past, representing the generations of his family who are no longer here. “Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and unfortunately are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world. Bobi represents those generations,” said Leonel.