Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog famous for starring in numerous memes and inspiring the Dogecoin cryptocurrency, has died according to her owner.
Atsuko Sato, a 62-year-old kindergarten teacher, shared the news on her blog Friday through a poem, expressing gratitude to “everyone who loved her.”
“At 7:50 a.m., she fell into a deep sleep,” she wrote. “She quietly passed away as if asleep while I caressed her.”
Kabosu was an adopted dog, and Sato, who resides in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, estimated her age to be around 18 years old.
In 2010, Sato posted a photo on her blog of Kabosu giving a quizzical, side-eye expression. By 2013, this image had spread across the internet, leading to the creation of the “Doge” meme. These memes featured Kabosu’s image overlaid with humorous, broken English phrases such as “much wow” and “such freeze, much frosty,” depicting the dog’s inner thoughts.
Inspired by Kabosu, two software engineers created the cryptocurrency Dogecoin in December 2013. Initially started as a joke, Dogecoin became the first “meme coin” and is now one of the top 10 most valuable cryptocurrencies in the world, with notable fans including billionaire Elon Musk.
“The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable. She was a being who knew only happiness and limitless love,” the official Dogecoin account posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Please keep her spirit and her family in your heart, and most importantly carry her with you as your story continues – we are all fortunate for hers to have touched and shaped ours.”
In 2021, a non-fungible token (NFT) of Kabosu’s image sold for $4 million. Kabosu also gained local fame in her hometown of Sakura, where a bronze statue in her honor was unveiled earlier this year.