Kabosu, the beloved dog that gained fame as the face of the Dogecoin cryptocurrency, peacefully passed away on Friday after enjoying 14 years of internet stardom. Atsuko Sato, the proud owner of the 18-year-old dog behind the iconic “doge” meme, shared the news that Kabosu had slipped into a deep sleep on Friday morning.
Kabosu had been bravely battling liver disease and leukemia since 2022, which unfortunately led to her passing on May 24. In a recent interview with AFP, Sato expressed her gratitude to fans for their unwavering support and the “invisible prayers” that helped Kabosu through her health struggles. Sato shared in a heartfelt blog post, “She quietly passed away in her sleep while I gently stroked her, surrounded by her adoring fans.”
While Kabosu’s exact birthdate remains unknown, Sato, a teacher from Sakura, estimated that the rescue dog was 18 years old. Sato adopted Kabosu from a puppy mill in 2008, and two years later, she captured a photo of Kabosu crossing her paws on a sofa with a curious expression. This image quickly gained traction on online platforms like Reddit, eventually becoming a meme that spread like wildfire “from college dorms to corporate email chains.”
The meme used humorous broken English to convey Kabosu’s inner thoughts, capturing the hearts of many. The famous photo even transformed into an NFT digital artwork, which was sold for a staggering $4 million. This image ultimately inspired the creation of Dogecoin, initially conceived as a joke by two software engineers.
Dogecoin has since garnered support from notable figures like hip-hop star Snoop Dogg and Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, propelling it to become the eighth most valuable cryptocurrency with a total market value of $23 billion. Tech billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of X platform, has been a vocal advocate for Dogecoin, dubbing it “the people’s crypto.” In May 2021, Musk conducted a poll among his followers to gauge their interest in Tesla accepting cryptocurrency as payment. Shortly after, the popularity of cryptocurrencies soared, leading to a surge in demand for Dogecoin that temporarily overwhelmed the trading system of the Robinhood platform.
A year later, Musk even changed his Twitter icon to Kabosu’s face, a move that did not surprise Sato, who had grown accustomed to the “unbelievable” events that surrounded her furry companion. In fact, a crypto organization called Own the Doge successfully crowdfunded a $100,000 statue featuring Kabosu and her iconic sofa, which was unveiled in a park in Sakura last November. Additionally, Sato and Doge contributed substantial sums of money to international charities, including over a million dollars to Save the Children. The organization referred to this as the largest crypto donation they had ever received.
As a final tribute to Kabosu, Sato will be hosting a “farewell gathering” on Sunday. The legacy of Kabosu, the dog that captured the hearts of millions and became the face of Dogecoin, will forever be cherished in the hearts of her fans worldwide.
