The internet has lost one of its most iconic furry ambassadors. Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog whose photogenic expression spawned the ubiquitous “doge” meme, has passed away at the age of 18, according to an announcement from her owner, Atsuko Sato.
In a poignant blogpost, Sato, a kindergarten teacher in the Japanese city of Sakura, recounted Kabosu’s peaceful final moments. “Outside the window, birds were singing on a beautiful morning. As I was touching her, she gently passed away,” she wrote, adding, “I think she was the happiest dog in the world.”
Kabosu’s rise to internet stardom can be traced back to 2010, when a seemingly innocuous photo of her sitting with her paws folded and a quizzical look on her face began making the rounds on forums like Reddit. This simple image quickly captured the imagination of online communities, sparking a deluge of photoshopped “doge” memes, with Kabosu’s likeness appearing on everything from pastries to landmarks and other animals.
The doge phenomenon reached new heights in 2013 when Kabosu’s visage became the face of Dogecoin, an alternative cryptocurrency created as a tongue-in-cheek response to Bitcoin. Capitalizing on the internet’s insatiable appetite for animal memes, Dogecoin quickly gained a dedicated following, with other meme-inspired tokens soon following suit.
Even tech mogul Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of Dogecoin, recognized Kabosu’s profound cultural impact. In a heartfelt tribute posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Dogecoin community hailed Kabosu as their “inspiration,” stating, “The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable.”
While Kabosu’s physical presence may be gone, her legacy as an unintentional meme icon and a source of joy for countless internet users will endure. Sato, who revealed in 2022 that Kabosu was battling leukemia and liver disease, plans to hold a “farewell gathering” on Sunday to celebrate the life of her beloved pet and the indelible mark she left on digital culture.