Iconic meme dog passes—farewell to a furry friend

Kabosu, the Shiba Inu behind the iconic “Doge” meme and the inspiration for Dogecoin, passed away at the age of 18 today.

Its death was confirmed by its owner, Atsuko Sato who was also a teacher in Japan.

Kabosu had been battling leukaemia and liver disease.

Its owner said the dog had eaten and drunk water as usual the night before it passed away.

“This morning, soft sunlight streamed through the window, birds were singing outside, and on this beautiful morning, I gently stroked Kabosu. Just like in sleep, Kabosu passed away,” she said in her blog.

“To everyone who has long loved Kabosu, thank you so much. I believe Kabosu was the happiest dog in the world, and I am the happiest owner in the world,” she added.

She said a farewell ceremony for Kabosu will be held on the 26th.

“We will be holding a farewell party for Kabo-chan on Sunday, May 26th. It will be held at Flower Kaori in Kotsu no Mori, Narita City, from 1 pm to 4 pm,” she said.

In 2008, she adopted Kabosu.

By 2010, Kabosu had gained sudden fame on Reddit, becoming the “Doge” meme and the most recognized Shiba Inu worldwide.

In 2013, Kabosu’s famous meme inspired the birth of dogecoin (DOGE), leading to the rise of other dog-themed tokens like shiba inu (SHIB) and floki (FLOKI).