The beloved internet icon, Doge, has passed away. The Shiba Inu, whose endearing and often hilarious facial expressions endeared her to millions online, was an adored figure within social media circles.
Her owner, living in Japan, shared the sad news of Kabosu’s passing on her blog, revealing that the 19-year-old dog “fell into a deep sleep” on Friday morning.
Kabosu became an internet sensation with her famous side-eye meme, which quickly spread across social media platforms.
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Her popularity soared even further when her image was adopted as the face of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency originally created as a joke.
Despite its humorous origins, Dogecoin achieved significant fame and value, particularly in early 2021 when a surge in interest from Reddit users caused its value to spike.
High-profile endorsements from billionaire Elon Musk and rapper Snoop Dogg added to the coin’s notoriety.
Musk, in particular, demonstrated his affection for Doge by replacing Twitter’s iconic bird logo with a cartoon image of the Shiba Inu after acquiring the platform and rebranding it as X.
Dogecoin’s creators paid tribute to Kabosu on X, stating: “Today Kabosu, our community’s shared friend and inspiration, peacefully passed in the arms of her person.
The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable. She was a being who knew only happiness and limitless love.
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.”
Kabosu’s journey from an animal shelter to internet stardom is a remarkable one. Rescued from a Japanese animal shelter by her owner Atsuko Sato in November 2008, Kabosu was saved from a likely grim fate.
Sato frequently posted pictures of Kabosu and her other pets on her blog, kabochan blog, including the iconic image that catapulted Kabosu to internet fame in 2010.
Reflecting on the widespread popularity of the memes in a 2013 interview with The Verge, Sato expressed her surprise: “It felt very strange to see her face there. It was a Kabosu that I didn’t know.”
Kabosu’s legacy as the face of Doge and her influence on internet culture will be fondly remembered by her many fans around the world.
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