Could the world's oldest living dog be French? Lazare, a small Papillon, was born on 4th December 1995, according to the French studbook (LOF).
As reported in the media, the dog has just been adopted from the SPA in Annecy Marlioz (Haute-Savoie, France) by a woman named Ophélie, following the death of his previous owner.
"A relatively clean bill of health"
Speaking to the newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré, the SPA stated that Lazare has a "relatively clean bill of health", although he is "partially sighted, a little deaf, and has some arthritis".
"We've double-checked, and there's no doubt about it: Lazare is indeed in his 31st year. We see many old dogs, but we've never seen one live past 20," the SPA explained.
A new world record?
TF1 Infos reports that the rescue centre has now started the process of getting Lazare into the Guinness World Records. Currently, an Australian Cattle Dog who died at the age of 29 years and 5 months holds the record for longevity.
