2 min readMay 16, 2026 03:04 PM IST
Lazare, a dog of the Papillon breed, which is believed to be one of the world’s oldest dogs has died in southeastern France, just weeks after the death of its owner, says the Telegraph.
For nearly 30 years, Lazare lived by its owner’s side in the Alpine countryside. In its final years, the dog had poor eyesight, hearing loss and arthritis, and its tongue permanently hung out.
Lazare may have been the oldest dog ever recorded. However, the claim could not be verified. As per Guinness World Record, the title for the oldest living dog is with an Australian cattle dog Bluey, who died in 1939 aged 29.
Lazare was adopted by a single mother after owner’s death
After its owner died, Lazare was taken to the Annecy Marlioz animal shelter in April. It was later adopted by Ophelie Boudol, a 29 year old single mother who was one year younger than the dog.
She had first planned to find a pet for her mother, but decided to bring Lazare into her own family instead. In a farewell post on Instagram, Boudol said Lazare died on Thursday. She said the dog stayed lively and affectionate until the end, describing it as having “a very lovable personality”.
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Lazare’s birth date was confirmed to be December 4, 1995, in two official records, including France’s pedigree dog register.
A dog named Bobi from Portugal was previously believed to be the world’s oldest dog after reportedly dying at 31 in 2023. However, Guinness World Records later said there was not enough proof to confirm its age.
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It is still possible that other dogs may be older than Lazare. News agency AFP said it contacted Guinness to ask whether Lazare held the record before its death, but was yet to receive a reply till the time this report was filed..
