Bobi, the certified longest living dog, died just days ago (October 21, 2023) at age 31. As Bobi’s family is grieving, a veterinary organization is calling them liars and using their political power to force a retraction from Guinness World Records.
European veterinarian Danny Chambers – who is an equine vet (horse vet), not a small animal veterinarian – told TheGuardian.com “not a single one of my veterinary colleagues believe Bobi was actually 31 years old.” Dr. Chambers stated Bobi living to 31 years of age “is completely implausible.”
Dr. Chambers also suggests that Bobi was two different dogs (challenging the integrity of Bobi’s entire human family) stating ”In some cases, parents replace a dead pet with a new one to prevent their child from getting upset.”
And showing his motive for his attack on Bobi’s grieving family, Dr. Chambers told the Guardian “that Bobi’s example had been taken up by-anti-pet-food zealots who have long campaigned that dog food is killing pets and that raw feeding is healthier”. (It’s actually anti-pet-FEED zealots!)
The not-so-lovely Dr. Chambers is a council member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, he claims “we are a science-based profession.”
So we sent the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons some questions asking for their ‘science’ (emailed 11/1/23):
In a recent TheGuardian.com post, RCVS council member Dr. Danny Chambers stated that the “18,000 members of the Veterinary Voices group he runs” do not believe that Bobi – the certified oldest dog – was actually 31 years old when he passed last month. As stated by Dr. Chambers – that “we are a science-based profession” – I assume you have the data to evidence that 18,000 veterinarians did not believe Bobi’s age. Please provide the data to evidence his claim.
Has Dr. Chambers – an equine veterinarian – ever examined any veterinary records of Bobi? Please provide a response.
Dr. Chambers told The Guardian …”In some cases, parents replace a dead pet with a new one to prevent their child from getting upset.” Does Dr. Chambers have any evidence to validate this statement? Please provide a response.
Dr. Chambers also called unnamed individuals “anti-pet-food zealots who have long campaigned that dog food is killing pets and that raw feeding is healthier.” Please provide the names of the ‘anti-pet food zealots’ Dr. Chambers is referencing and examples of their ‘anti-pet food zealot’ behavior.
Is Dr. Chambers aware that Bobi did not consume raw pet food? Please provide a response.
Is Dr. Chambers aware of the wealth of research regarding the health risks of consuming ultra-processed food? Please provide a response.
Does the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons accept any financial support – in any fashion (such as meeting sponsorships, scholarships, donations) from the pet food industry? If so, who are the top five donors? Please provide a response.
Pet owners deserve answers to all these questions. After all, Dr. Chambers is asking for Guinness World Records to be transparent, asking the Costa family to be transparent, shouldn’t Dr. Chambers/the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons be transparent as well?
You should know that veterinarians like Dr. Chambers are the reason pet owners are becoming more and more distrustful of their veterinarians. To openly call a grieving family liars is beyond disturbing, it is callous and heartless. The family of Bobi deserves an open, public apology from Dr. Chambers and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Instead of publicly belittling the family of Bobi, the veterinary field should have been curious to learn more. You should have eagerly wanted to learn how to help other pet owners love their pets for more years. But you did not do that. Dr. Chambers and the RCVS chose to attack the integrity of a family, choosing to call them liars. And sadly, you ignored a tremendous opportunity to learn and help other pet owners.
I expect a prompt response to all of these questions. Thank you.
Susan Thixton
Personal opinion: It is easy to see what is going on here. Big Pet Feed did not like that the certified oldest dog was not eating commercial pet feed. Big Pet Feed did not like that Bobi’s family was telling the world he was eating real food (not feed). So, they attacked the family at their weakest moment, just after Bobi died. It is beyond cruel.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons are actively trying to get Guinness to retract their claim Bobi was the oldest dog…and they are doing it 10 days after Bobi’s death. Again…beyond cruel. And it is VERY clear to see why…we can’t have a world of pet owners believing that a dog’s long life is anyway related to eating real food (not feed) can we?
Bobi’s family needs our support right now. Please email or tag in social media the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons – telling them you believe in Bobi.
RCVS website contact “for matters relating to RCVS Council”: d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/contact-us/
RCVS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thercvs. Use hashtag @thercvs for any Facebook posts.
RCVS X (Twitter) page: https://twitter.com/theRCVS. Use hashtag #theRCVS for any X (Twitter) posts.
Tell Guinness World Records you believe in Bobi. Guinness Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GuinnessWorldRecords. Hashtag @GuinnessWorldRecords.
Guinness X (Twitter) page: https://twitter.com/GWR. Hashtag #GWR
We need to dwarf Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons reported 18,000 veterinarian doubters numbers. Please tell Guinness you believed in Bobi. #IBelieveBobi31.
Please show Bobi’s family we believe in them. We grieve with them. And we will NOT allow veterinary bullies to take anything away from Bobi’s memory.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Dianne & pets
November 1, 2023 at 3:07 pm
To the best of my knowledge Guiness world records thoroughly vets(no pun intended) their records. I have reached the point that science based is equivalent to “I am an expert, don’t question me”. Scientists once declared that a platypus could not possibly exist and the people claiming to have seen one were liars. Vets still tell us that dogs won’t lift their legs to pee after they have been neutered. That so-called science based vet is no scientist.
Dianne & pets
November 1, 2023 at 3:36 pm
To the best of my knowledge Guiness world records thoroughly vets(no pun intended) their records. I have reached the point that science based is equivalent to “I am an expert, don’t question me”. Scientists once declared that a platypus could not possibly exist and the people claiming to have seen one were liars.
Vets still tell us that dogs won’t lift their legs to pee after they have been neutered. That so-called science based vet is no scientist.
He should have said that it would be great, but he has never personally seen anything to suggest it is possible and would like to see some evidence.
Remember what that poor family who lost dogs after feeding a can of dog food as a treat. They were also treated in an abominable manner and not just by vets.