Who is owner of Shiba Inu?

The Shiba Inu is a popular dog breed that has grown tremendously in popularity over the past few years. Part of the reason for their surge in popularity is the meme coin named after the breed – Shiba Inu Coin (SHIB). This has led many people to wonder – who actually owns the Shiba Inu breed? Can a breed of dog be owned? What about the Shiba Inu coin – who owns that? These are all good questions that this article will try to answer.

Can a Dog Breed be Owned?

When it comes to dog breeds, there is no single person or entity that “owns” an entire breed. Dog breeds are man-made categorizations used to group dogs based on their physical traits and temperaments. Here is a quick overview of how dog breeds come about:

Origins of Dog Breeds

All domestic dogs that exist today descended from the gray wolf. Through selective breeding done by humans over thousands of years, different types of dogs were developed to help with specific tasks like hunting, herding, and guarding. This selective breeding led to the emergence of distinct dog breeds that displayed predictable physical and behavioral traits.

So in that sense, while no single person owns a breed, the development of dog breeds has been driven by human interests over many generations. Breeds continue to evolve over time as breeders mix traits and make tweaks to meet demand for certain characteristics.

Breed Recognition

While there is no owner of a breed, certain institutions play a role in recognizing and standardizing breed definitions. For example, major kennel clubs like the American Kennel Club (AKC) maintain breed standards and pedigrees. They categorize breeds, write breed standards, and issue pedigrees.

However, their role is primarily guidance – they don’t own or control the actual breeding process itself. There are also many independent breeders who may not even register their dogs with kennel clubs. So while organizations like AKC define and standardize dog breeds, they don’t own exclusive rights to any breed.

History of the Shiba Inu Breed

Now that we’ve covered how dog breeds emerge in general, let’s look at the history and origins of the Shiba Inu specifically:

Ancient Japan

The Shiba Inu has ancient Japanese roots as a hunting dog. They originated in the mountainous regions of Japan and were used to hunt small game and birds. Their name comes from their reddish fur color, which was reminiscent of the autumn brushwood in Japan – “Shiba” meaning brushwood and “Inu” meaning dog.

Shiba Inus became popular in Japan and were recognized as a distinct breed around 300 BC. They were occasionally used as guard dogs as well. The original bloodlines of the Shiba Inu were honored by nobles in ancient Japan.

Near Extinction and Revival

During World War II, the Shiba Inu breed almost became extinct. As the war caused economic hardship and food shortages in Japan, many Shiba Inus were killed for food or died of starvation. By the end of the war, only around 300 Shiba Inu remained in Japan.

But thanks to dedicated efforts by breeders and the establishment of the Nippo (Nihon Ken Hozonkai) preservation organization, the breed recovered. Nippo worked hard to revive the Shiba Inu breed through collecting the remaining dogs from remote villages and selectively breeding them. Today, the breed has repopulated in healthy numbers not just in Japan but globally.

Global Spread

The first Shiba Inus were brought over to America in the 1950s as gifts. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that sustained imports really began, aided by American soldiers who brought Shiba Inu dogs back from Japan after the war. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1993.

Today, Shiba Inus are popular not just in the USA but around the world. They stand out with their fox-like appearances and spirited personalities. While the original bloodlines came from Japan, today’s global Shiba Inu population comes from diverse lineages and breeders across continents.

Who Owns the Shiba Inu Breed Today?

Given this history, it’s clear no single person or entity owns the Shiba Inu breed today. Some key points:

  • No person today can claim original ownership of the breed – they originated organically from ancient Japan.
  • Kennel clubs provide guidance on the breed standard but they don’t control breeding.
  • Many independent breeders in Japan and globally develop their own bloodlines.
  • Dogs can be freely traded and sold as owners desire around the world.

However, a few organizations provide valuable guidance and preservation for the breed:

Major Kennel Clubs

The AKC and UKC (United Kennel Club) recognized the Shiba Inu breed in their registry in the 1990s and maintain the breed standard for the United States. Enthusiasts appreciate the rigor that kennel clubs apply to pedigree tracking and breed preservation.

Nippo/Nihon Ken Hozonkai

This organization was critical to reviving the Shiba Inu breed after WWII. They continue to provide guidance on breeding to preserve the original Japanese bloodlines. Their input is valued by many Shiba Inu enthusiasts globally.

So in summary, while no single owner exists, organizations like these have played an important role in stewarding the breed. They’ve enabled the Shiba Inu to recover from near extinction and regain its stature as a cherished dog breed.

Who Owns the Shiba Inu Meme Coin (SHIB)?

The Shiba Inu meme coin called SHIB has become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies today. Its meteoric rise has baffled many financial experts. But who exactly owns SHIB, and how did it come to be?

Origins

SHIB coin was created in August 2020 by an anonymous person or group called Ryoshi. Ryoshi has never revealed their true identity. The only details known are that Ryoshi is likely of Japanese descent and a fan of the original Dogecoin meme coin.

Ryoshi took the idea of Dogecoin and decided to create a new coin based on the Shiba Inu dog breed. Hence, the Shiba Inu coin (SHIB) was born and control handed over to the SHIB community.

Decentralized Nature

A key point is that SHIB, like other cryptocurrencies, is decentralized. This means:

  • No single entity owns or controls SHIB.
  • SHIB runs on an open-source blockchain protocol.
  • The SHIB community verifies transactions.
  • SHIB tokens can be freely mined, bought, and sold.

So while the founder Ryoshi created SHIB, they no longer have any special rights or ownership of the coin. Ryoshi publicly renounced all ownership after launch.

The Rise of SHIB

After launch, SHIB coins were airdropped and handed over to supporters and the broader crypto community. From there, SHIB gained momentum as backers promoted the coin and major exchanges agreed to list it.

Being listed on platforms like Binance, Coinbase, and Crypto.com enabled anyone globally to easily buy and sell SHIB coins. This drove SHIB to a market valuation of over $40 billion at its peak in October 2021.

Ongoing Role of SHIB Developers

While Ryoshi renounced ownership of SHIB, key volunteers called “Shiboshi” continue developing the Shiba Inu ecosystem. This includes:

  • Eric M – Chief Operations Officer
  • Shytoshi Kusama – Lead Developer
  • Tsuchinoko – Lead Artist

These developers work on technical improvements and releases but don’t control SHIB itself. Overall, SHIB persists as a decentralized coin powered by community interest.

Conclusion

While the Shiba Inu dog originated centuries ago in Japan, no person or group owns exclusive rights to the breed today. Modern Shiba Inus come from diverse lineages from ethical breeders globally.

Similarly, the meme coin SHIB was created anonymously and released to the general public. No single entity controls SHIB thanks to its decentralized blockchain foundation. But organizations like major kennel clubs and coin developers continue to provide guidance and stewardship for the Shiba Inu name. Both the dog breed and coin thrive based on grassroots community enthusiasm. So the broader public owns the essence of Shiba Inu!

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