The Internet is in mourning! Kabosu, the dog who inspired the world-famous Doge meme, passed away today at the age of 18.
The news was confirmed by her owner, Japanese Atsuko Sato, through social media, and as soon as we found out, we couldn’t help but feel sadness over the loss of the dog that gave us countless laughs.
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With great sorrow, Atsuko Sato wrote:
“On May 24, at 7:50 in the morning, Kabo-chan fell into a deep sleep. Last night, as usual, she ate and drank a lot. From the window where warm light came in while the birds sang outside on a beautiful morning, while being caressed by me, she passed away quietly as if she were sleeping.”
It should be noted that Kabosu not only leaves an immortal legacy in Internet pop culture but even in cryptocurrencies, as the image of the dog was also used to create Dogecoin, a crypto in which Elon Musk invested a fortune.
The dog’s owner thanked all the people from around the world who showed their love for the dog and reiterated: “I believe Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world and I was the happiest owner in the world.”
The Story Behind the Doge Meme
Kabosu was a Shiba Inu who was adopted in 2008 by Atsuko Sato, a kindergarten teacher in Japan, who decided to rescue the dog from an animal shelter shortly before she was to be euthanized.
In 2010, Sato posted photos of Kabosu on her personal blog. One of these photos showed the dog with a very peculiar expression, with her paws crossed and a somewhat suspicious look, which quickly turned the image into one of the most iconic memes in Internet history.
The photos of Kabosu began circulating on various internet platforms, including Reddit and Tumblr, and people started calling her Doge, a playful misspelling of “dog.”
The Doge meme became extremely viral throughout the 2010s, but it was in 2013 that the meme gained even more popularity when it became the inspiration behind the cryptocurrency called Dogecoin.
And although Dogecoin started as a joke, over time it transformed into a widely recognized cryptocurrency.
Rest in peace, dear Doge. We will miss you!