Kabosu, the Shiba Inu who inspired the 'doge' meme, passes away
Kabosu, the dog known for inspiring the "doge" meme cryptocurrency, has died at 18.
According to a blog post by owner Atsuko Sato, the Shiba Inu "passed away quietly.
"She went very peacefully without suffering as if falling asleep while feeling the warmth of my hands petting her," Atsuko wrote on Instagram.
"Thank you all so much for loving Kabosu all these years. I am certain that Kabosu was the happiest dog in the world. That makes me the happiest owner in the world," she added.
The owner added that they will be holding a farewell party for Kabosu on May 26th at Flower Kaori in Kotsu no Mori, Narita City in Japan.
In 2022, Atsuko shared that the internet-famous dog had been battling leukemia and liver disease at 17 years old.
Kabosu went viral in 2013 after a photograph of her from 2010 with a smirking face, side eyes, and crossed paws spread online. Users began referring to the photo as "doge" and started using it as a meme.
Later on, the nickname and the dog took on another meaning as it inspired the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which initially was supposed to be a joke. It later spiked in value when Elon Musk tweeted about how it was "the people's currency."
Online love for Doge
Dogecoin paid tribute to Kabosu, writing, "Today Kabosu, our community's shared friend and inspiration, peacefully passed in the arms of her person. The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable. She was a being who knew only happiness and limitless love."
"RIP to the legend Kabosu, thank you for all the memes," one X user said.
"Rest in heaven Kabosu. You were a good girl. Thank you for being such a big part of our internet culture," another wrote.