Kabosu, the beloved dog behind the Doge meme who later became the face of Dogecoin, has passed away.
The Japanese Shiba Inu dog that inspired a generation of online memes and the $23-billion cryptocurrency died on Friday, as confirmed by her owner.
Kabosu, aged 18, had been battling leukemia and liver disease.
"She quietly passed away as if asleep while I caressed her," Atsuko Sato, Kabosu's owner, wrote on her blog.
"To all of you who loved Kabosu, on the morning of May 24, Kabosu crossed the rainbow bridge. Thank you all so much for your support over the years," Sato shared on Instagram.
"She went very peacefully without suffering, as if falling asleep while feeling the warmth of my hands petting her."
Kabosu gained fame in 2010 when a Reddit post featuring her smiling face and crossed paws went viral. The image quickly became a widely-used internet meme, often paired with captions like "Wow. So scare" and "What r u doing?"
Over time, Kabosu's image became synonymous with Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency initially created as a joke.
Dogecoin later gained mainstream attention, in part due to endorsements from Elon Musk and its sponsorship of Watford Football Club.
In April, Kabosu briefly became the face of Twitter when Elon Musk changed the site's logo to reflect the meme, further cementing her status as a cultural icon.
Kabosu was adopted by Sato in 2008 after being rescued from an animal shelter.
Reflecting on their time together, Sato expressed her gratitude: "I am certain Kabosu was the happiest dog in the world. That makes me the happiest owner in the world. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to everyone who has sent us much love."
Kabosu's health issues became apparent in late 2022, but Sato credited the "invisible power" of prayers from fans worldwide with helping Kabosu persevere, per BBC News.
In November last year, a $100,000 statue of Kabosu and her sofa, crowdfunded by Own The Doge, a crypto organization dedicated to the meme, was unveiled in a park in Sakura.
Sato and Own The Doge have also donated significant amounts to international charities, including more than $1 million to Save the Children, marking the single largest crypto contribution the NGO has ever received.
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