************************************
UPDATE
Kabosu, the Shiba Inu behind the viral “doge” meme, passed away peacefully, her owner Atsuko Sato announced yesterday(24th May,2024). The iconic image of Kabosu, known for her quizzical expression, gained fame in 2013 and became a symbol of internet culture, even inspiring acryptocurrency. Sato, a kindergarten teacher from Sakura, Japan, shared thenews with a heartfelt poem and noted Kabosu’s impact on her life. The dog, a rescue who was once nearly euthanized, had been diagnosed with leukemia and liver disease in 2020 but had lived to approximately 18 years old. Kabosu’s legacy includes a bronze statue in Sakura and her image on manhole covers, celebrating her global influence and the joy she brought to millions online.
**************************************
In the past week, social media has widely shared the story of Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog that originated the famous Shiba meme. That meme later became the symbol of Dogecoin, making the face of Kabosu even more popular globally.
On December 27, the owner of Kabosu revealed on Instagram that “Kabosu’s disease names are acute Cholangiohepatitis and chronic Lymphoma Leukemia. Right now, the liver level is very bad and jaundice appears. But antibiotics will definitely improve. Kabosu has an appetite. She can also drink water.”
The social media users shared its story and left a lot of comments with hopes that Kabosu would recover swiftly.
Later, on December 31, a page on Facebook reported that the famous Japanese Shiba dog passed away on December 30.
Even though the post did not mention Kabosu’s name, we can see that the post directly targets Kabosu, who was reported ill recently, and intended to make readers think Kabosu is dead, which is NOT TRUE.
Fact-Checking
First, we looked into the post and used the Reverse Image Search to find the source of the image used in the above post. The picture on the post turned out to be a Shiba Inu breed dog from Stockphotos, but not the famed Kabosu.
Additionally, on December 30, Kabosu’s owner posted an Instagram update saying that Kabosu is recovering quickly. The owner described the condition of the famous Shiba
“It’s the morning of the 5th day since Kabosu fell ill. She had completely finished her meal of chicken tenders.She drinks plenty of water. She no longer needs diapers, as she can go to the bathroom on her own. I’m amazed at how quickly she bounced back. I took her for a five-minute walk to the park today. She looked happy in the sun and fresh air.I thank you all for your prayers. The Miracle of Kabosu couldn’t have happened without your warm wishes and prayers. Thank you.”
Conclusion
The Facebook post claiming that the famous Shiba Inu, Kabosu, has passed away is false. Kabosu had been ill and in critical condition in the past week. But after receiving treatment and taking medication, its condition quickly improved.
