Kabosu, the beloved Shiba Inu behind the iconic “doge” meme and the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency, has passed away at the age of 14. Her owner, Atsuko Sato, announced her death, which occurred on May 24, after Kabosu had been battling leukemia and liver disease.
“She quietly passed away as if asleep while I caressed her,” Sato wrote on her blog, expressing gratitude to Kabosu’s fans. “I think Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world. And I was the happiest owner.”
Kabosu’s exact birthday was unknown, but Sato, who adopted her in 2008, estimated her age to be 18. Kabosu was rescued from a puppy mill where she faced being put down. Her journey from an uncertain future to international stardom began in 2010 when Sato, a teacher from Sakura, east of Tokyo, shared a photo of Kabosu with her paws crossed on a sofa. The image quickly went viral after being posted on Reddit, evolving into a meme that captivated the internet.
The “doge” meme features Kabosu’s expressive face accompanied by captions in goofy, broken English, often depicting her whimsical thoughts. This meme resonated deeply with internet users, becoming a staple in online culture and leading to the creation of Dogecoin.
Dogecoin started as a joke in 2013 by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer but soon grew into a significant cryptocurrency. Today, it holds a market capitalization of $23 billion, making it the eighth-most valuable cryptocurrency. The digital currency garnered support from high-profile figures like Snoop Dogg and Gene Simmons, but its most enthusiastic advocate is Elon Musk. Musk’s frequent mentions and jokes about Dogecoin on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have significantly influenced its value, earning it the moniker “the people’s crypto.”
Kabosu’s impact extended beyond memes and cryptocurrency. In 2021, an NFT of her famous image sold for $4 million, illustrating her lasting legacy in the digital art world. Despite falling ill in late 2022, Sato credited the “invisible power” of prayers from Kabosu’s global fanbase with aiding her recovery.
Sato, 62, shared that she had become accustomed to the extraordinary events surrounding Kabosu’s fame. Last year, she was unfazed when Musk changed the Twitter icon to Kabosu’s face, a testament to the dog’s enduring influence.
In November, a $100,000 statue of Kabosu on her famous sofa, funded by the crypto organization Own The Doge, was unveiled in a Sakura park. Sato and Own The Doge have also made significant charitable contributions, including a donation of over $1 million to Save the Children, the largest crypto donation the NGO has received.
Kabosu’s story, from a rescued puppy mill dog to an international icon, is a testament to the profound and unexpected ways in which internet culture can impact lives. Her legacy will continue to inspire joy and generosity, transcending the digital world to make a tangible difference.
