Doge Meme Dog Kabosu Dead at 18 After Cancer Battle

Kabosu, the beloved dog who inspired the iconic “doge”meme and became the unofficial mascot of Dogecoin, has passed away at the age of 18 after battling health issues.

The beloved Japanese shiba inu, who had captured the hearts of millions worldwide, had been battling both leukemia and liver disease.

Atsuko Sato, the owner of Kabosu, shared the news on Instagram with the dog’s 525,000 followers on Friday, May 24th.

Atsuko Sato, the owner of Kabosu, announced on Instagram that her beloved dog passed away on the morning of May 24th and crossed the rainbow bridge. She expressed her gratitude to all those who have shown love and support for Kabosu over the years.

The Doge Meme dog, Kabosu has died. She was 18 years old. pic.twitter.com/ScMhYn2kuF

— dexerto (@dexerto) May 24, 2024

“Kabosu passed away peacefully, without experiencing any suffering. It was as if she fell asleep while I gently petted her, feeling the warmth of my hands. I am grateful to all of you for loving Kabosu throughout the years.”

“I am confident that Kabosu was the most joyful dog in the world, making me the happiest owner. I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all those who have sent us an abundance of love.”

In 2008, Sato, a teacher from Japan, adopted Kabosu when she was sent to an animal shelter as her puppy mill closed down.

Kabosu rose to fame in 2010 after a photo of her with crossed paws and a subtle smirk went viral on Reddit and Tumblr, making her an instant internet sensation.

A Redditor at the time coined the term “Doge”to describe the image, intentionally misspelling “dog”as a nod to a 2005 episode of Homestar Runner.

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A post shared by Kabosumama (@kabosumama)

In 2013, the doge meme rose to popularity as individuals utilized colored Comic Sans text to superimpose over the photo of Kabosu, accompanied by broken English phrases such as “Wow. So scare”and “What r u doing?”

In 2021, an NFT of the “Doge”meme was sold for $4m (£3.2m).

Kabosu is also the official mascot of the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which was initially designed as a satirical form of currency and currently serves as the sleeve sponsor for English football club Watford Football Club.