Boo (dog)
{{short description|Pomeranian that became an Internet sensation}}
{{Infobox animal
| name = Boo
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| species = Canis lupus familiaris
| breed = Pomeranian
| gender = Male
| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|2006|3|16}}
| birth_place = San Francisco Bay Area, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|01|18|2006|03|16}}
| death_place = Buena Park, California, U.S.
| years_active = 2008–2019
| owner = Irene Ahn
| known = being "World's cutest dog"
}}
Boo (March 16, 2006 – January 18, 2019) was a Pomeranian dog that had a popular Facebook page and was the subject of four photo-books.{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Boo-the-cutest-dog-on-the-planet-3796886.php|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=August 17, 2012|title=Boo, 'the cutest dog in the world'|author=Benny Evangelista|access-date=August 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819195846/http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Boo-the-cutest-dog-on-the-planet-3796886.php|archive-date=August 19, 2012|url-status=live}} As of 2020, Boo had 16 million likes on Facebook.{{Cite news|date=2019-01-19|title=Boo the Pomeranian dog dies 'from a broken heart'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-46931245|access-date=2021-01-01}} Boo was owned by Irene Ahn, a Facebook employee, who was also the owner of Boo's older brother, Buddy.
Popularity
Boo belonged to a San Francisco-based Facebook employee who created a Facebook page for the dog with the statement "My name is Boo. I am a dog. Life is good." He became popular in October 2010 after singer Kesha sent a tweet that she had a new boyfriend, linking to the page.
Chronicle Books, noticing that Boo had 5 million Facebook fans at the time, approached the owner to write a picture book. In August 2011, Boo: The Life of the World's Cutest Dog, written by his owner under the pen name J. H. Lee, was published. The book was eventually published in ten languages. A second book followed, Boo: Little Dog in the Big City, as well as a calendar and plans for a cut-out book and additional children's books. His other merchandise includes a Gund stuffed animal.
Media appearances
In April 2012, Boo was the subject of a death hoax after #RIPBOO appeared all over Facebook. Tweets followed as Gizmodo writer Sam Biddle tweeted that Boo had died. It was later confirmed by the Chronicle Book staff that Boo was alive and well.{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/boo-rip-ripboo-alive-dog_n_1419247 |title=Boo Is Alive: Dog's Death Refuted On Facebook As #RIPBOO Tweets Flow |work=HuffPost |date=April 11, 2012 |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719024438/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/11/boo-rip-ripboo-alive-dog_n_1419247.html |archive-date=July 19, 2012 |url-status=live }}
In July 2012, Boo was named the Official Pet Liaison of Virgin America, which featured photos of him in an airplane alongside advice for people traveling with pets.{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/boo-worlds-cutest-dog-is-pet-liaison-for-virgin-america_n_1665949|title=Boo, World's Cutest Dog, Is Now Official Pet Liaison For Virgin America (PHOTOS) |work=HuffPost |date=July 11, 2012 |access-date=June 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710013136/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/boo-worlds-cutest-dog-is-pet-liaison-for-virgin-america_n_1665949.html |archive-date=July 10, 2017 |url-status=live }} He also modeled sunglasses for The Monocle Order, from the Blood and Tears line.
Mike Isaac of All Things Digital outed Boo's owner as Irene Ahn, a Facebook employee, in August 2012.{{cite web |url=http://allthingsd.com/20120808/boo-the-worlds-cutest-dog-calls-a-facebook-employee-mom/ |title=Boo, the World's Cutest Dog, Calls a Facebook Employee "Mom" |first=Mike |last=Isaac |work=AllThingsD |date=August 8, 2012 |access-date=August 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809213433/http://allthingsd.com/20120808/boo-the-worlds-cutest-dog-calls-a-facebook-employee-mom/ |archive-date=August 9, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Choney |first=Suzanne |url=https://www.today.com/money/boo-cutest-dog-world-facebook-plant-933196 |title=Is Boo the 'cutest dog' in the world a Facebook plant? |department=Digital Life |work=Today|date=9 August 2012 |access-date=June 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811074212/http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/08/09/13202056-is-boo-the-cutest-dog-in-the-world-a-facebook-plant?lite |archive-date=August 11, 2012}}{{cite web |first=Alyson |last=Shontell |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-cutest-dog-boo-irene-ahn-2012-8 |title=Meet Boo, 'The World's Cutest Dog'—And The Secret Facebook Employee Behind Him |work=Business Insider |date=August 8, 2012 |access-date=August 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810004132/http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-cutest-dog-boo-irene-ahn-2012-8 |archive-date=August 10, 2012 |url-status=live }}
Health complications and death
Boo's owners said he began to show signs of heart trouble after Buddy's death; he died in his sleep on the morning of January 18, 2019.{{cite journal |url=https://people.com/pets/boo-the-pomeranian-dies/ |title=Boo the Pomeranian, Once Named the World's Cutest Dog, Dies |first=Karen |last=Mizoguchi |date=January 18, 2019 |access-date=January 19, 2019 |journal=People |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119093603/https://people.com/pets/boo-the-pomeranian-dies/ |archive-date=January 19, 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/He-s-a-true-legend-Boo-World-s-13546740.php |title='He's a true legend': Boo, 'World's Cutest Dog' dies at 12 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=January 19, 2019 |access-date=January 20, 2019 |agency=HTV }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.facebook.com/Boo Facebook page]
Category:Animals on the Internet