Kabosu, the dog behind the “doge” meme, has died

Kabosu, the dog behind the “doge” meme, has died after 14 years of internet fame, her owner has said.

The Japanese Shiba Inu inspired a generation of online jokes and became the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency.

She had been suffering from leukemia and liver disease and died on 24 May.

“She quietly passed away as if asleep while I caressed her,” Atsuko Sato wrote on her blog, thanking Kabosu’s fans.

“I think Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world. And I was the happiest owner.”

As a rescue dog, Kabosu’s real birthday was unknown, but Ms Sato estimated her age at 18.

Below are some of the reactions from her fans

Patrick DePinto: I can’t believe he was even still alive! That’s amazing! I thought the meme came out in the mid-2000s and this dog would be like 25 by now. That’s amazing that he got to live such a long and good life, had no idea he was still around.

Juan Carlos Herrera: She lived a long life.RIP sweetheart.

Rachel Hanstein: She’s chasing squirrels and eating treats in the great big beyond now, rest in peace sweet girl ♡

Brendan Hardy: Sleep well sweet princess.Such sad. Many sob. Wow.

Vanessa Frey: My condolences to her human mama. Rest well Kabosu.

Mariko Frazee: I got to meet Kabosu in 2019! Her owners are truly wonderful people. Here’s a little video I made back then, it’s a memory I’ll cherish forever