ciao
24 May 2024 at 08:00
็ชใใใฏๆใใใชๅ ใๅฐใ่พผใฟใKabosu, the beloved Shiba-Inu behind the globally popular Doge meme, has passed away peacefully at home today at the age of 18.
[Soft light streamed through the window]
็ชใฎๅคใงใฏ้ณฅใใกใๆญใ็พใใๆใซใ
[Outside, birds were singing on a beautiful morning]
็งใซๆซใงใใใชใใ็ ใใใใซใใฃใจ้ใใพใใใ
[As I petted her, she passed away gently, as if falling asleep]
้ทใ้ใใผใกใใใๆใใฆไธใใฃใใฟใชใใพใๆฌๅฝใซใใใใจใใใใใพใใใ
[To everyone who has loved Kabo-chan for a long time, thank you very much]
ใใผใกใใใฏไธ็ไธๅนธใใช็ฌใ ใฃใใจๆใใพใใใใใฆ็งใฏไธ็ไธๅนธใใช้ฃผใไธปใงใใใ
[I believe Kabo-chan was the happiest dog in the world, and I was the happiest owner]
This sweet girl, abandoned by a shuttered puppy mill, had ended up in a kill shelter before being rescued and nursed back to health by kindergarten teacher Atsuko Sato in 2008. She was named "Kabosu" after the round fruit that her furry head resembled. Photos of a wary Kabo-chan from Sato's blog formed the basis for the popular Doge meme circa 2013, which spread into a whole series of Shiba-centric lore, the mascot of an ironic cryptocurrency, and even got her a lovely statue (and a manhole cover) in her hometime prefecture of Sakura. Sato gamely documented Kabo-chan's charmed life (and her feline friends) on her blog and YouTube channel; a brush with leukemia and liver disease in 2022 (previously) elicited a wave of support and love from around the world, and she soon made a "miraculous" recovery and lived happily and well for another 18 months. For locals, a farewell gathering is planned for Sunday, May 26th, from 1-4pm at dog-friendly hangout spot of Kaori Flowers in Narita, with a larger event planned for the beautiful Sakura Furusato Plaza when the weather cools later in the year. Sato's obit post closes:
ใใผใกใใใฏไปใใพใ ใซใใซใ็ฌใฃใฆใทใใใๆฏใฃใฆ [Kabo-chan is still smiling happily and wagging her tail] ็งใซๅฏใๆทปใฃใฆใใใฆใใใจๆใใพใใใใฃใจใใใใใใใฃใจ [I believe she is still staying close to me. Surely, from now on and forever.]