The dog followed by thousands died after a year of medical decline: "He gave us one last gift"
Tomi, the Shiba Inu from the "Tomi does things" page, followed by thousands of people, passed away at the age of 15 and a half. Moments before the farewell, after he could barely walk, he got up for one last walk. His owner, Ron Shor, shares: "The moment I posted that we said goodbye to Tomi, I received countless messages and calls. I was surprised to discover how many people remembered him."
Tomi, the Shiba Inu who became a well-known figure on social media through the Facebook page "Tomi does things" and the Instagram account "Shiba Tommy," passed away on August 13, 2026, after a year of medical decline. His owner, communications consultant Ron Shor, explained that the decision was made after Tomi stopped eating, struggled to walk, and suffered from cognitive decline.
"Tomi was not just a dog to me," says Shor. "He was my partner, a family member, and an inseparable part of my world. He went through the most significant stages of life with me."
Tomi was born in December 2010 in England and arrived in Israel in March 2011, at three months old. Shor refused to have him fly in the plane's cargo hold, so he flew to Amsterdam to meet the owner who had brought Tomi from England by car and ferry.
The choice of a Shiba Inu was deliberate, as Shor sought a breed known for its health. From the moment Tomi arrived in Israel, he was attached to Shor, accompanying him to work, to friends, and almost everywhere he went.
Shor launched the "Tomi does things" Facebook page in 2014. The idea was born from Tomi's character: a stoic dog with a look that could be paired with text to turn any photo into a joke. Tomi became a pioneer of pet-focused social media content in Israel. The activity was purely organic, and one of his videos even attracted the attention of a major American company that purchased the copyrights.
Beyond his online fame, Tomi was a dog full of personality: he chased his tail, hunted flies, hated walks (ironic for a dog who went everywhere), and would do anything for yellow cheese. Despite his independence, he was deeply empathetic; whenever Shor's sister cried, Tomi would be the first to comfort her.
In his final year, Tomi suffered from "Old Dog Syndrome," experiencing vestibular episodes that affected his balance. Since September 2025, Shor barely slept, helping Tomi navigate the house. In October 2025, a new Shiba Inu named Crypto joined the family, and the two bonded instantly.
In his final two days, Tomi's condition deteriorated. On the morning of August 13, the family brought him to the clinic. "Then, minutes before the farewell, Tomi got up. After we carried him in, he suddenly wanted to go for a walk," Shor recounts. "He walked on his own and acted as if everything was fine for a few minutes. For me, Tomi decided to give us one last gift. He wanted us to have a good final memory of him — not of Tomi lying down, but of our Tomi, walking with us for the last time."
After the walk, they returned to the clinic, where Shor's sister stayed with him until the end. "She was like a second mother to Tomi, and I trusted her to be by his side," Shor says.
"My sister summed him up best: he was the most alive dog in the world. Throughout his 15 and a half years, he managed to become a small part of many other people's lives as well," he concludes.
