In a heartwarming twist of fate, a dog that might just hold the title of the world’s oldest canine has found a loving new home in France. This comes after he outlived his previous owner.
Lazare, a continental toy spaniel who astonishingly is 31 years old, ended up at the Annecy Marlioz Spa animal refuge following the death of his owner.
The name Lazare, meaning “God aids,” suits the senior canine who, despite his grumpy demeanor, possesses a gentle spirit. Staff at the refuge were aware of Lazare’s advanced age but were curious to pin down exactly how old their remarkable new resident was, according to The Times.
The elderly pup exhibited several health issues, such as his endearing but impractical floppy tongue, which hinted that he had already surpassed the typical 15-year lifespan expected for his breed.
By examining Lazare’s microchip, which was registered with the French pedigree dog database, they discovered his birth date to be December 4, 1995. This revelation confirmed that Lazare was around 31 years and 150 days old.
With this extraordinary discovery, the Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA) — France’s Society for the Protection of Animals — reached out to the Guinness Book of World Records to potentially secure Lazare’s place in history.
“We have done a double check. There can be no doubt. Lazare is in his 31st year,” Anne-Sophie Moyon, the head of the refuge, told The Times.
If all goes well, Lazare should be awarded the title of the world’s oldest dog, beating out the current record-holder.
An Australian cattle dog named Bluey, who passed away at age 29 in 1939, is the current champion.
Lazare’s new owner, 29-year-old Ophélie Boudol, doesn’t particularly care about her pooch’s impending renown.
“I adopted him because I love animals and there was an instant bond between us. It was unthinkable for me that he should end his life at the Spa. He needed a loving family,” she told TF1, the French television channel.
Boudol said that when Lazare isn’t sleeping, he follows her all around her apartment. She added that her veterinarian assured her that Lazare is in good health in spite of his age.
A Portuguese livestock guardian dog named Bobi was the reigning oldest dog for all of two years after narrowly beating Bluey — but the title was revoked following an investigation into evidence of his age.
