Kabosu, the Beloved Shiba Inu Behind the "Doge" Meme, Passes Away at 18
Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog who became an internet sensation as the "Doge" meme, has died at the age of 18. Her owner, Atsuko Sato, 62, confirmed the news on social media on Friday. Kabosu had been battling leukemia and liver disease since 2022 and passed away on May 24.
"She quietly passed away as if asleep while I caressed her," Sato wrote. "I think Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world. And I was the happiest owner. Thank you all so much for loving Kabosu all these years."
Sato, a teacher from Sakura, east of Tokyo, adopted Kabosu from a shelter in 2008 after the puppy mill where she was born shut down. Since Kabosu was a rescue, her exact birthdate is unknown, but Sato estimates she was around 18 years old.
A photo of Kabosu with a side-eyed look and crossed paws, taken in 2010, went viral in 2013, becoming one of the internet's most iconic images. Originally posted on Sato's blog, the photo spread to Reddit, Tumblr, and other online platforms, where it was dubbed "Doge," a deliberate misspelling of "dog."
The image, often paired with funny, broken English in Comic Sans font to mimic Kabosu's inner monologue, inspired the creation of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that now boasts a market capitalization of $23 billion. Tech mogul Elon Musk has frequently mentioned Dogecoin, referring to it as "the people's crypto," and even temporarily changed the Twitter logo to Doge in April 2023. In 2021, an NFT of the iconic image sold for $4 million.
"Ever since Kabosu came into my home, a series of miraculous things have happened, enriching my life and gifting me with a treasure trove of priceless moments," Sato told Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun in February.
In 2020, Sato shared Kabosu's story and the history of the iconic photo in an interview with Know Your Meme, a site dedicated to viral online moments. She revealed that a volunteer at the animal welfare center named Kabosu after a round-faced citrus fruit popular in Japan. Sato, who frequently updated her blog with photos of Kabosu, noted that the viral photo was taken on an ordinary day, as Kabosu loved having her picture taken.
In November last year, a $100,000 statue of Kabosu and her sofa, crowdfunded by the crypto organization Own The Doge, was unveiled in a park in Sakura. Sato and Own The Doge have donated large sums to various international charities, including $1 million to Save the Children.
Kabosu's legacy as the Doge meme has left an indelible mark on internet culture, and her memory will continue to bring joy to fans around the world.
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