SCREENGRAB from 7 News Perth Twitter
Maggie, an Australian sheepdog (Kelpie) believed to be the oldest dog in history, passed away in her sleep on Tuesday.
Maggie’s human best friend and lifetime companion, Brian McLaren, a dairy farmer in the state of Woolsthorpe in Victoria, Australia, confirmed the somber news.
The sheepdog was unable to wake up in her basket the following morning.
“She was 30 years old, she was still going along nicely last week, she was walking from the dairy [farm] to the office and growling at the cats and all that sort of thing,” Brian told an interview with Australian news site The Weekly Times.
“I’m sad, but I’m pleased she went the way she went.”
McLaren cannot certify the official age of Maggie as he lost his papers, but he estimated that she lived for three decades, equivalent to 210 dog years. His son, Liam, was four years old when he adopted Maggie as a puppy. His son is now 34.
The beloved farm mate was buried beside McLaren’s other dog in a marked grave under a pine tree.
Maggie’s age stimulated headlines across Australia and overseas after she and McLaren were featured in local news sites last November.
The Guinness world record-holder for the oldest dog category is Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who died at 29 years and 5 months. The average life expectancy of a dog is from 8 to 15 years. Gianna Francesca Catolico, INQUIRER.net