Shiba Inu dog that inspired “doge” meme, cryptocurrency Dogecoin dies

Kabosu, the Japanese Shiba Inu dog that inspired the viral “doge” meme and the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, has died, her owner said Friday. She was 18 years old.

“She went very peacefully without suffering, as if falling asleep while feeling the warmth of my hands petting her,” owner Atsuko Sato posted on her Instagram account.

Kabosu, a rescue dog adopted by Sato in November 2008, became an internet sensation after a photo posted of her in 2010 went viral. The image spawned countless memes featuring her peculiar expression peppered with humorous captions in broken English.

“I am certain that Kabosu was the happiest dog in the world. That makes me the happiest owner in the world,” Sato said, as she also thanked Kabosu’s fans.

Kabosu also became the face of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency created in 2013 initially as a parody of Bitcoin. The coin’s popularity skyrocketed after tech billionaire Elon Musk expressed his support, with each mention of the coin on X, then known as Twitter, leading to a buying frenzy.

“The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable,” Dogecoin said on X in a tribute to Kabosu. “She was a being who knew only happiness and limitless love.”

A memorial ceremony is set to be held on Sunday in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo.