Kabosu, the Shiba Inu who became famous as the face of the "Doge" meme, has died at the age of 18.
As per BBC, her owner, Atsuko Sato, announced that Kabosu passed away on May 24 after suffering from 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.
She further added, "I think Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world. And I was the happiest owner."
Kabosu gained internet fame after Sato, a teacher from Sakura, Japan, posted a photo of her crossing her paws on a sofa in 2010.
Meanwhile, the image spread from Sato's blog to Reddit and quickly became a viral meme, known for using humorous, broken English to depict the dog's thoughts.
While, this meme also inspired the creation of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that began as a joke but grew in popularity, supported by figures like Elon Musk.
In late 2022, Kabosu was diagnosed with leukemia and liver disease. Despite her illness, Sato credited the "invisible power" of fan prayers for helping Kabosu recover for a time.
Kabosu's influence extended beyond the internet, with a $100,000 statue of her unveiled in Sakura and significant charitable donations made in her honor.
Moreover, Sato and Own The Doge have generously contributed significant amounts to global charitable causes, including a donation exceeding $1 million to Save the Children.
This contribution marks the largest cryptocurrency donation the NGO has ever received.
