Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog that became a global internet sensation through the “doge” meme, has died at the age of 18, her owner announced on Friday.
The Japanese Shiba Inu “fell into a deep sleep” on Friday morning, according to a heartfelt blog post by her owner, Atsuko Sato. “Outside the window, birds were singing on a beautiful morning. As I was touching her, she gently passed away,” wrote Sato, a kindergarten teacher in Sakura, Japan. “I think she was the happiest dog in the world.”
Kabosu first captured hearts worldwide in 2010 when a photo of her with folded paws and a quizzical expression went viral on forums like Reddit. This image sparked the proliferation of “doge” memes, characterized by the intentional misspelling of “dog” and humorous captions.
Kabosu’s fame further skyrocketed in December 2013 when she became the face of Dogecoin, an alternative cryptocurrency created as a tongue-in-cheek response to Bitcoin. Dogecoin’s popularity, driven by the internet’s affection for animal memes, inspired other meme-based tokens, including the Shiba Inu coin.
Elon Musk, a notable fan of Dogecoin, once polled his millions of Twitter followers about accepting the cryptocurrency as payment for Tesla. In May 2021, a surge in demand for Dogecoin briefly overwhelmed the cryptocurrency trading system on Robinhood, a stock trading and investing platform.
In a tribute, Dogecoin’s official X (formerly Twitter) account described Kabosu as the community’s “inspiration,” stating, “The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable.”
Kabosu had been battling leukemia and liver disease, as shared by Sato in a series of Instagram posts in 2022. Sato is planning a “farewell gathering” on Sunday to honor Kabosu’s memory.
Kabosu’s legacy as the beloved “doge” will continue to be remembered by fans worldwide, celebrating the joy and laughter she brought to the internet.
