Viral meme dog Kabosu has died

Published 09:50 May 24, 2024 GMT+1

Kabosu, the dog behind the iconic “Doge” meme, has died at the age of 18.

And what a good dog she was.

Even the rarest Internet users will probably be familiar with Kabosu’s face – even if they don’t know her real name.

Fans have paid tribute to Kabosu following her death. (X/@Harafcy)

The Japanese Shiba Inu went viral more than a decade ago, thanks to a now-iconic image of him giving a sideways glance that took the internet by storm.

The dog became a meme called “Doge,” accompanied by meaningless captions that could describe virtually any situation.

Bad weather? “Wow, very rainy,” Doge would say.

Stuck in a traffic jam? A simple “lot of car” would be the solution.

Kabosu's image has been edited to show her wearing sunglasses or sitting on loaves of bread. It even serves as the logo for the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which was originally created as a joke.

Kabosu's owner shared the news of her death online. (Instagram/@kabosumama)

Unfortunately, after bringing so much joy to the world, Kabosu's health began to decline when she was diagnosed with leukemia and liver disease.

Her owner, Atsuko Sato, announced the news of her death on Instagram today (May 24).

“To all who loved Kabosu: On the morning of May 24, Kabosu crossed the rainbow bridge,” Sato wrote.

“Thank you all for your support over the years. She passed away peacefully and without suffering, as if she had fallen asleep feeling the warmth of my caressing hands.”

The caption continued: “Thank you all for loving Kabosu all these years. I am sure Kabosu was the luckiest dog in the world. This makes me the luckiest owner in the world.”

“I would like to express my deepest appreciation to everyone who has sent us so much love.”

Kabosu was diagnosed with leukemia. (Instagram/@kabosumama)

Sato, who works as a teacher in Japan, adopted Kabosu in 2008 after she was taken to an animal shelter.

It's no surprise that news of her death sparked a flood of condolences from fans of the Doge meme over the years, with many sharing their condolences on Instagram.

“She wasn't a good girl. She was the best girl,” one fan commented on the announcement of Kabosu's death.

Another wrote: “Rest in peace beloved Kabosu. You gave her a wonderful life and thank you for sharing her with us and bringing so much joy to everyone through Doge.”

Although the loss of Kabosu is sad, the Shibu Inu had a long and beautiful life, well beyond the average life expectancy of 13–16 years.

Photo credit: Atsuko Sato/balltze/Instagram

Topics: Animals, Health, Viral, Dogs