SHAH ALAM - Cheems Balltze, one of the most popular dogs on the internet, passed away at the age of 12 during surgery.
The Shiba Inu breed dog has been fighting cancer for the last few months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Cheems became an internet sensation after several memes centred around his love of cheeseburgers went viral on the internet.
Cheems' owners took to Instagram to announce the news on Aug 19.
"Ball Ball (Cheems) fell asleep on Aug 18 on Friday morning during his last thoracentesis surgery.
"Originally, we wanted to arrange chemotherapy or other possible treatment for him after this operation, but it is too late now," the owner stated in the caption.
In their farewell message, his owners requested the fans not to be sad and to cherish the joy Cheems brought to many people.
"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 been completed.
"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 owners said.
They also expressed their gratitude to the medical staff who took care of the dog during his illness for the past six months.
Cheems conquered millions of hearts and became incredibly popular on social media.
His moods and expressions resonated with a global audience.
His journey from a local pet to an internet sensation highlights the heartwarming connection between pets and people.