Elon Musk responded to the news of Kabosu’s passing, the Japanese Shiba Inu who served as the inspiration for the famous “doge meme”. The announcement of the iconic doge’s death was made by her owner, Atsuko Sato, through a blog post.
Kabosu was not only recognized as the face of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency initially created as a humorous response to the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies at the time. Dogecoin is acknowledged as the first “meme coin” and specifically, the first “dog coin”.
The US billionaire, Musk, acknowledged a post from a user on X (previously Twitter) expressing condolences for the loss of the beloved dog.
In response, Elon Musk simply stated, “Rest in peace”.
Numerous users urged Musk, who recently acquired the micro-blogging platform, to temporarily change X’s logo to Kabosu’s image as a tribute.
One user requested, “Change the X logo to doge again in honor of her please”.
Another user commented, “Please change X logo to doge in honor today please”.
Atsuko Sato, Kabosu’s owner, mentioned in her blog post that the Shiba Inu “peacefully passed away as if asleep while I caressed her”. Sato, who works as a kindergarten teacher, expressed gratitude to the fans of her dog, Kabosu, the face behind the “Doge” meme.
Reports from the media revealed that Kabosu was diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphoma leukaemia in 2022.
Sato also shared that a farewell gathering for “Kabo-chan” will take place on Sunday (May 26) in Japan’s Nara City from 1 to 4 pm.
The passing of Kabosu, the beloved doge of the internet, was met with an outpouring of love and condolences from netizens. Following Atsuko Sato’s announcement, messages expressing sympathy and admiration for Kabosu flooded in.
Various fan art pieces depicting the Shiba Inu in heavenly settings or interacting with other famous meme characters have been widely shared online.
One user expressed, “I am deeply saddened by Kabosu’s passing. She touched our hearts with her gentle presence and the positivity she exuded. Her departure serves as a poignant reminder of life’s transience and the significance of treasuring every moment spent with our loved ones, whether they have fur or not. Let us honor her memory by spreading kindness and doing good deeds daily.”
Another user remarked, “Although Kabosu has crossed the rainbow bridge, she will always remain close to your heart. She is now in Heaven, frolicking and socializing with other canine companions.”
“Thank you, Kabosu, for being an adorable, affectionate, and courageous Doge. Rest in peace, Kabosu, you will forever reside in our hearts,” added another individual.
