A ‘RESIDENT’ of Jacobstow is a contender for Britain’s oldest dog. Jack Russell collie-cross Yentyl will turn 24 in January, writes Zoë Uglow.

Belonging to Charles and Marlene Martin, Yentyl, named after the 1983 Barbara Streisand film of the same name, lives in Jacobstow and is set to celebrate his 24th birthday.

The Martins married on July 17, 1991 and Charles picked up the then six-month-old Yentyl the following weekend.

Charles said Yentyl did not like to be carried and so they both had to walk 13 miles in order to get back to the house. He has been a part of their family ever since.

In January, Yentyl will be turning 106 in dog years, and as a special treat has been gifted a case of his favourite dog food, HiLife, from Town and Country Petfoods.

Owner Charles said: “We have tried different types of food but he won’t eat anything else. It doesn’t matter what flavour it is because he loves them all.”

When the pet food company heard that Yentyl had been enjoying their food for almost 24 years they felt it was appropriate to show their appreciation for his loyalty with a gift.

Marketing director at Town and Country Petfoods Peter Parkinson said: “When we heard Yentyl was approaching 24 we thought we’d surprise our oldest fan with a case of his favourite food as a special reward for his loyalty.”

In his long lifetime Yentyl has won numerous rosettes at various local dog shows, including three first place prizes, four seconds and two thirds.

Charles said: “Yentyl is as good as gold. He is very placid and really good around people. He has won rosettes for everything from having the healthiest eyes to the waggiest tail. He is also a playful dog and still loves chasing the rabbits around the fields.”

At 23 years old, Yentyl is thought to be one of the country’s oldest dogs. He joins other contenders for the title, including Meg, a Jack Russell from Stoke St Michael, Somerset, who turned 25 last year, and Daisy, from Bishop’s Cleeve, Gloucestershire, also a Jack Russell, who was 23 when she died.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s oldest dog was a cattle dog called Bluey, who lived in Australia and was 29 when he died in 1939.

Maybe ‘young’ Yentyl will make it into the record books as Britain’s oldest dog one day — for now he is content with spending his time chasing rabbits and eating his celebratory case of dog food.