‘World’s oldest dog’ – a mongrel called Lilly rescued from a layby as a pup – celebrates her 24th birthday in Italy

The world's oldest dog, who was rescued from a shelter as a puppy, celebrated her 24th birthday with a party with her family in Italy.

Lilly, a small dog of unknown origin with a gray-black coat, celebrated her birthday on New Year's Day at her family's home in Torre Annuziata, near Naples.

Her family, the Acanforases, made her a special cake with the number 112 written on it, her equivalent age in human years.

She was found in a parking lot along the highway to Reggio Calabria, the closest town to Messina in Sicily.

Her owner, widow Anna Cutrupi, says Lilly loves fish and also likes kibble and canned meat.

Her family, the Acanforases, made her a special cake with the number 112 written on it, her equivalent age in human years

She was found in a parking lot along the highway to Reggio Calabria, the closest town to Messina in Sicily

Her owner, widow Anna Cutrupi, says Lilly loves fish and also likes kibble and canned meat

'Lilly is now part of our family and is pampered by everyone. No doubt she is her age, but she is healthy and vibrant,” Anna added

“Lilly is like a daughter to me, and she manages not to make me feel alone, especially after the loss of my husband,” she told Italian media.

Anna said that even though her three children, Rocco, Ausilia and Roberta, all have their own families and lives, every time they talk on the phone, “they first ask how the dog is doing.”

'Lilly is now part of our family and is pampered by everyone. No doubt she is her age, but she is healthy and vibrant,” Anna added.

She said she baked the cake for Lilly because reaching her age was “an achievement that deserves to be properly celebrated.”

It is commonly believed that dog years can be calculated by taking the number of human years the dog lives in and multiplying it by seven.

But vets have debunked that claim and come up with a better way to calculate the age of dogs.

The first year of a dog's life is equivalent to 15 years, while the second year is 24 years, given the way dogs age and develop in the first few years.

Then four years must be added for every human year they live.

As a dog found as a puppy in the year 2000, Lilly will live to be 112 in human years.

Lilly's big birthday celebration comes months after Bobi, a Portuguese dog who previously held the record as the world's oldest dog, passed away just five months after celebrating his 31st birthday.

Bobi was the proud holder of two Guinness World Records

Bobi was born in an outbuilding where the family of his owner, Leonel, stored wood

Dogs typically only live 10 to 13 human years.

Bobi's age is said to have been verified by his vet and a pet database approved by the Portuguese government.

In 1992, Bobi was registered with the Veterinary Medical Service of the municipality of Leiria. The organization confirmed Bobi's date of birth.

His age has been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the National Union of Veterinarians.

Bobi's owner Leonel Costa held a birthday party for the farm dog on May 11 in the village of Conqueiros in Portugal's Leiria district

Local meat and fish were served to more than 100 guests attending his birthday – some of whom came from abroad – with a bonus for Bobi, who eats only human food.

Leonel Costa, now 38, was just eight when his beloved pet was born in an outbuilding where his family stored wood.

When Bobi turned 31, he said:[He] has been a warrior all these years, only he knows how to endure. It must not be easy because the average lifespan of a dog is not that high and if he only spoke he could explain this success.

“We are very happy and grateful that after 30 years, life allows us to have Bobi in our daily lives.”