Paris: A French toy spaniel named Lazare, believed to be the world’s oldest dog, has died at the age of 30.
According to AFP, Lazare passed away on Thursday, just weeks after being adopted into a new home. His carer, Ophelie Boudol, shared an emotional tribute following his death.
“You were our little grandpa baby,” Boudol wrote in a farewell Instagram post.
“You chose to take your final flight in my arms on the evening of May 14, to join your mistress who loved you so much,” she added.
Lazare, believed to be world’s oldest dog, dies
Animal charity worker Anne-Sophie Moyon said Lazare was born on December 4, 1995. The Papillon dwarf spaniel, known for its distinctive butterfly-shaped ears, spent most of his life with the same owner before eventually being moved to an animal shelter after her death.
When shelter staff realised the dog’s extraordinary age, they believed he could potentially be the oldest living dog in the world.
“We thought ‘Lazare might be the world’s oldest dog’,” Moyon said.
She explained that the shelter verified his birth date through two official registries before completing paperwork for a Guinness World Records application.
AFP reported that it contacted Guinness World Records to confirm whether Lazare officially held the record before his death, but no immediate response was received.
Boudol, a 29-year-old single mother, had originally visited the shelter hoping to find a companion for her own mother. However, she instead formed a bond with Lazare and decided to bring him home herself.
Despite his advanced age, Lazare quickly became part of the family.
At 30 years and five months old, Lazare could no longer hear or see properly. He wore nappies and spent much of the day sleeping.
“He really has such an endearing personality,” she told AFP earlier this week while holding him at her home in southeastern France.