On Monday, Guinness World Records (GWR) announced that Bobi, the oldest dog in history at an almost unfathomable age of 31 years and 165 days, had passed away.
Dr. Karen Becker, a veterinarian, first reported his death on Friday at an animal hospital.
He lived with cats his entire childhood in the Portuguese community of Conqueiros, located approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the city, Lisbon.
According to his owner, Bobi was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a kind of livestock guardian dog. According to the American Kennel Club, the average lifespan of a Rafeiro do Alentejo is between 12 and 14 years.
But Bobi lived more than twice as long as that, breaking a record that had stood for over a century. The record had been held by an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey, who was born in 1910 and survived to reach 29 years and five months old.
Costa's father thought they had too many animals when he and his three siblings were born in the family woodshed.
Costa and his siblings were concerned that their parents were going to kill all of the puppies. A few lonely days later, however, they discovered Bobi still alive and well concealed among some logs.
The kids kept the dog a secret from their parents, and by the time anyone found out about him, Bobi was too old to be put down.
As Bobi aged, he lost some of his eyesight and found it more difficult to go around, but he still enjoyed hanging out in the backyard with the cats, resting more, and napping by the fire.
"Looking at Bobi is like remembering my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already passed away," Costa told GWR in May. "He's special because he reminds me of the people who were a part of our family but unfortunately are no longer here." "Bobi is a symbol for those eras."