The owner of Bobi, who was once crowned ‘oldest dog in history’ for a spell says he plans to file a lawsuit against Guinness World Records after his title was stripped last year.
Leonel Costa claims he brought up his pooch from when he was born in 1992 and he marked his 31st birthday last May.
A few months earlier the records company certified him as the oldest dog alive and whoever lived.
But after Bobi’s death last October, vet professionals were sceptic and it led to Guinness World Records reassessing the ‘oldest dog’ title. In February of this year, they stripped the pup of his title they once gave him.
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During this time, Mark McKinley, director, said: “We take tremendous pride in ensuring as best we can the accuracy and integrity of all our record titles.
“Following concerns raised by vets and other experts, both privately as well as within public commentary, and the findings of investigations conducted by some media outlets, we felt it important to open a review into Bobi’s record.”
Mr Mckinley added: “Without any conclusive evidence available to us right now, we simply can’t retain Bobi as the record holder and honestly claim to maintain the high standards we set ourselves”.
Since the news, Mr Costa, from Conquieros, Portugal, has vowed to get the record back.
He said at the time: “I lost the most important thing in my life which was Bobi but I won’t lose my character, that I promise you.”
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Why did Guinness World Records strip Bobi of his ‘oldest dog’ title?
After Guinness World Records conducted a review, it found the certification of Bobi’s age was based almost entirely on government database given by Leonel in 2022.
The pet owner claims he didn’t receive a response to unspecified ‘evidence’ he says he sent to the record company.
Adding he waited over a month and still had no reply despite sending over ‘more evidence’.
In an email, Mr Costa said: “So this matter will be dealt with in court and I will do everything I can to prove the truth and ask Guinness for proof of its decisions.
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He alleged “people in the veterinary world and processed food companies’ have a vendetta against Bobi, because the dog ‘represents everything contrary to what the veterinary world advises, namely that few vaccines and lifelong consumption of natural food’.
A spokesperson for Guinness World Records who revoked the ‘oldest dog in history’ title have said they’ve hadn’t received communication from Mr Costa since February 22, when they concluded their review.
But they added they would “gladly assess any new evidence” they receive.
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