Out of everything he did in life, Kobe was proudest of his philanthropic endeavours. His career started on the back of giving away his fur to keep others warm, and he tried to incorporate an element of giving in his major projects. From animal cancer research to dog rescue, many issues were dear to his heart.

Kobe supported many causes throughout his working life, but helping his local Blue Mountains community was the most meaningful. Through sales of his first book Hiking Mount Kobe: A Dog’s Guide to the Blue Mountains, he raised thousands of dollars for the Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre (BANC) to support residents recovering from the 2019/2020 bushfires. Through local family support service Thrive Services, he also supported a program to help those escaping domestic violence to stay with their pets.

After losing Kobe to cancer, supporting canine cancer research felt like a natural continuation of his philanthropic endeavours. Enter Kardboard Kobe (KK for short), his equally good-looking, slightly stiffer counterpart. KK recently completed the Mount Kobe Century Hike-a-thon, hiking all 100 trails covered in Hiking Mount Kobe and Mount Kobe Magic to raise funds for the Australian Animal Cancer Foundation. Through the generous sponsorships from Kobe’s fans around the world, we raised more than $2,300 to support the Foundation’s scientific research into finding a cure for cancer.