Kabosu, the Japanese dog who inspired the 'Doge' meme and became a viral internet sensation for over a decade, has died at the age of 18 on Friday after a long battle with leukemia. Her owner, Atsuko Sato, announced the news on social media. "To everyone who has been supporting and loving Kabosu, this morning, she has crossed the rainbow bridge. She left very peacefully in her sleep, as if she was just tired and fell asleep while I was petting her," the dog's owner wrote in an Instagram post. In the same post, she thanked everyone who has supported and loved Kabosu over the years. "I'm sure Kabosu was the happiest dog in the world. That makes me the happiest owner in the world. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has shown us so much love," Atsuko Sato added.

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In December 2022, the animal was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a type of blood cancer, and acute cholangiohepatitis, a liver disease characterized by inflammation of the bile ducts. Kabosu, a Shiba Inu breed, was adopted by the teacher in 2008. About two years later, she became an internet sensation after a photo posted by her owner, in which she appeared with her paws crossed and her head slightly tilted, went viral. It was on the Reddit platform that the 'Doge' meme was born, associated with grammatically incorrect English phrases, inspired by the cartoon series 'Homestar Runner', when one of the characters refers to another as his 'D-O-G-E'. The meme was back in the news with the popularity of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency. In 2021, the meme was sold as an NTF for four million dollars (about four million euros). Read Also: Kabosu, the 'face' of the 'Doge' meme, has been diagnosed with leukemia (Portuguese version)