Dogecoin's Beloved Dog, Kabosu, Passes Away After 14 Years as Iconic Meme

Kabosu, the beloved Shiba Inu who inspired the "doge" meme and became the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency, has passed away at 14 years old, her owner announced. Kabosu had been battling leukemia and liver disease, and she died peacefully on May 24th, as her owner Atsuko Sato lovingly caressed her.

Atsuko expressed her gratitude to Kabosu's fans on her blog, saying, "I think Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world. And I was the happiest owner."

Kabosu was a rescue dog with an estimated age of 18. She was adopted by Atsuko, a teacher from Sakura, Japan, after being saved from a puppy mill in 2008. In 2010, Atsuko shared a photo of Kabosu crossing her paws on the sofa, which quickly went viral after being posted on Reddit. This image became the iconic "doge" meme, characterized by goofy, broken English captions that humorously conveyed the dog's inner thoughts.

The meme gained immense popularity, eventually leading to the creation of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency initially started as a joke by two software engineers. Despite its humorous origins, Dogecoin grew significantly in value and market capitalization, becoming the eighth-most valuable cryptocurrency at $23 billion. It received endorsements from celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Gene Simmons, and most notably, Elon Musk, who frequently tweets about it, dubbing it "the people's crypto."

Kabosu's fame extended beyond the digital realm. In late 2022, she fell ill, and Atsuko credited the "invisible power" of prayers from fans worldwide for helping her pull through. Kabosu's legacy includes a $100,000 statue in Sakura and significant charitable contributions. Own The Doge, a crypto organization dedicated to the meme, funded the statue and, alongside Atsuko, donated over $1 million to Save the Children, marking the NGO's largest crypto donation ever.

Reflecting on Kabosu's extraordinary journey, Atsuko shared that she had grown accustomed to incredible events, even when Elon Musk temporarily changed Twitter's icon to Kabosu's face. Kabosu's legacy continues to bring joy and inspiration to millions around the world.