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Sugar the Surfing Dog makes history by becoming the first dog to be inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame in Huntington Beach, California on Thursday, December 05.
NBC Bay Area reports that Sugar’s paw prints were immortalized in concrete alongside hooman surfing legends.
Before making history, the 14-year-old surfing dog had a rough start in life. As a puppy, she was abandoned on the side of the road in Oakland, California.
But Sugar was destined to for greatness in life. In 2011, while on vacation, Huntington Beach surfer Ryan Rustan found the pooch, and took her in.
During this time, Rustan was working through his drug addiction recovery, which the pooch helped him through.
You could say that they saved each other’s life and were meant to meet in that fateful day in 2011.
Rustan even credits the pooch with providing comfort and motivation during his recovery.
“Some of the most amazing moments of my life [were] with her,” he said in an interview earlier this year.
Today, Sugar is a 5-time World Dog Surf Champion, 5-time HB Surf City Dog Champion, Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge title, and a Surfers’ Hall of Fame Inductee.
In an Instagram post on Sugar’s official account, Rustan wrote, “This is something I never imagined in my wildest dreams. It was so beautiful.”
“A true legend who inspired us all with her big-wave bravery and shortboard skills. Congrats, Sugar—you’ve earned your spot in surf’s highest honor,” the Surf Dog Events wrote in an Instagram post.
Aside from surfing, Sugar is also a therapy dog and does surf therapy for a lot of kids, Rustan reveals.
“It’s not just about surfing against people but also putting smiles on the little kids’ faces and the athletes that are disabled. She gets to ride with them.”
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony, according to its website, “pays tribute to those individuals who have made an indelible mark on the sport, industry, and culture of surfing.”
By inducting Sugar the surfing dog, they are recognizing the impact that the pooch has made on the sport, and on people’s lives.
Lisa Scolman, organizer of the Surf City Surf Dog event, tells NBC Bay Area, “I always dreamed of having a dog in the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, and no duo is more deserving than Ryan and Sugar.”
“Because of her, we started a shredder division, and dogs from around the world came to surf. Everyone wanted to compete against Sugar and Ryan.”
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