Japanese dog who inspired viral 'doge' meme and became crypto icon dies at 18

The Shiba Inu dog, Kabosu who became an internet sensation as the face of the "Doge" meme, died on Friday at the age of 18. 

Her owner, Atsuko Sato shared the news on her Instagram account.

"She quietly passed away in her sleep while I was petting her," Sato, a kindergarten teacher, wrote in a heartfelt post.

Kabosu rose to fame after Sato captured a photo of her pet crossing her paws on the sofa. The image, known as "Doge," spread like wildfire across platforms like Reddit and Tumblr.

The photo's fame extended beyond memes and it became a valuable digital artwork (NFT) that was sold for $4 million. 

This image also served as inspiration for Dogecoin, and its value soared in the cryptocurrency market. Currently, Dogecoin is the eighth most valuable cryptocurrency, with a market capitalisation of $23bn.

Dogecoin's price dipped slightly on Friday after news of Kabosu's death but the coin maintained its 6% gain for the week.

Kabosu's 62-year-old owner told AFP that the dog had been suffering from leukemia and liver disease since 2022.

Sato also shared a poem for her beloved dog. She wrote that she would always cherish Kabosu, and that Kabosu, in turn, would always hold a special place in her heart.

"To honor Kabosu's memory, a farewell event will take place on May 26 at Flower Kaori in Kotsu no Mori, Narita City,”  Sato mentioned in the post.

In November 2023, a $100,000 statue depicting Kabosu relaxing on her famous sofa was unveiled in a park in Sakura, Japan. 

The statue was funded through a crowdfunding campaign organised by Own The Doge, a cryptocurrency organisation dedicated to promoting the "Doge" meme.

Sato and Own The Doge donated over $1 million to Save the Children organisation, which is the biggest crypto donation they have ever received.