Photo: dog in French Alps believed to be oldest in world
A dog’s life expectancy of this size is around 15-17 years, yet Lazare is 30
Lazare is in remarkably good shape despite being 30 years old
Lazare’s instagram account
Lazare, a dog in the French Alps, is believed to be the oldest in the world, having reached 30 years of age.
The Papillon spaniel, according to his microchip registered with the French Kennel Club, was born on December 4, 1995.
“This gentleman was born in 1995, and I promise it’s not a joke — he has his LOF Select registration to prove it! That is to say, he’s older than half the shelter staff,” wrote the SPA Annecy Marlioz on their Facebook page.
On top of that, his blood test results show he is in a surprisingly good condition. Aside from suffering from arthritis, being visually impaired, slightly deaf, and having only one tooth left, Lazare remains in remarkable shape for his age, despite his tongue occasionally hanging out of his mouth.
Lazare was found by the SPA after his owner passed away in Haute-Savoie, but his stay at the shelter did not last long. Just a few days later, Ophélie came to adopt a dog for her mother and fell in love with him.
He has now nicely settled into his new routine, with his new owner even creating an Instagram account that has already attracted more than 500 fans of Lazare.
The SPA Annecy Marlioz is now trying to have Lazare officially recognised as the oldest dog in the world and entered into the Guinness World Records.
Up until now, the record has been held by Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog who died at the age of 29 years and 5 months.
However, submitting the claim to Guinness World Records is no easy task, as they require official documents, veterinary records, independent testimonies, and photos and videos covering different periods of the dog’s life.
While waiting for any official recognition, Lazare continues to enjoy his peaceful retirement in Haute-Savoie, winning hearts both online and in real life.
