Kabosu, Shiba Inu Behind 'Doge' Meme From 2010, Passes Away In Her Sleep

On the morning of 24 May, 2024, Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog behind the popular meme 'Doge' died at the age of 18 years and 6 months old. The instagram post by her owner reads, "To all of you who loved Kabosu. On the morning of the 24th of May, Kabosu crossed the rainbow bridge. Thank you all so much for your support over the years. She went very peacefully without suffering, as if falling asleep while feeling the warmth of my hands petting her."

Her owner, Atsuko Sato, made another post around the same time, saying that she will be holding a farewell party for Kabosu on 26 May, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

On 2 November, 2023, a statue of Kabosu was erected in Sakura Furusato Hiroba in the city of Sakura, through donations made by fans of Kabosu.

Last to last year, on December 17, 2022, Sato posted on her Instagram that Kabosu was diagnosed with acute cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphoma leukemia. The post also said, "Right now, the liver level is very bad and jaundice appears. But antibiotics will definitely improve. Kabosu has an appetite, She can also drink water. To all of you who are worried,
Thank you very much."

On June 7, 2021, the owner posted on their instagram talking about how Kabosu has changed her life through a single photoshoot. She also shared that she had minted the original photos she took of Kabosu, and was going to sell them as NFTs, which at the time, sold for $4 million dollars at an auction, with proceeds from the auction being donated to many different Japanese charities.

Around late 2013, Jackson Palmer and Billy Markus created Dogecoin, a joke cryptocurrency that blew up to become something neither Palmer, nor Markus, nor even Atsuko Sato could predict.

13 February 2010 is when Atsuko Sato did a small photoshoot with Kabosu. It was on this day that the legendary picture of Kabosu as 'Doge' was first taken. It would go on to spread on the internet as a meme like wildfire.

On November 2, 2008, Kabosu was adopted by Atsuko Sato. Celebrating Kabosu's 18th birthday, Sato reminisced on the memories of how she was on her first day being adopted, compared to how she was 15 years later. Content, and happy.

Kabosu lived through a lot. Many would say she lived a long and good life. A lucky life, as most dogs don't get the sort of attention and love that she did. But many of us are also lucky to have grown up and lived alongside her. Lucky to have her presence on the internet reach us and enrich our lives. It is a very sad day today.

Rest in peace Kabosu. You will be missed.