The celebrity dog was scheduled to undergo chemotherapy and other possible treatment after the surgery, but he succumbed to his health condition and died during the surgery, according to an instagram post by his official account. The dog’s owner wrote, “He fell asleep on Friday morning during his last thoracentesis surgery. Originally, we wanted to arrange chemotherapy or other possible treatment for him after this operation, but its too late.”

“Don’t be sad, please remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world. A Shiba Inu with a round smiling face connecting you and me, he has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission has completed,” the owner continued in the post.

Popularly known as Pup Balltze, the popularity of the dog boosted in the mid 2010s. During that time, his funny photo went viral. Later his photo became more of a convenient way to express discomfort or weakness in particular situations.

“I believe he is running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends. He will always be inside my heart. I hope he can continue to bring joy to everyone in the online world, that’s my only humble request,” the owner added in the post.

The dog is also known for his love for cheese burgers. His favourite dish led him to be popularly known as “Cheems”. THe dog’s fame increased further in the coming years with the expansion of meme market on the social media. Cheems demise received many heartfelt tribute and messages from fans on the internet.

Updated: 19 Aug 2023, 10:16 PM IST