Sugar, Southern California’s five-time world champion surfing dog, has died from cancer.
Ryan Rustan told KNX News’ Emily Valdez that Sugar was rescued in Oakland 15 years ago.
“I feel like she was a bait dog,” he said. “She was found missing, like, eight of her bottom teeth, and had a huge rip on her lip, and she was very skinny.:
At her new home with Ryan in Huntington Beach, they started going to the pool across the street. Eventually, Sugar was right in the waves, not only with Ryan but by herself.
“We have a big dog surf contest here, and the waves were big, and we just went out the back, and Sugar just sent it, and she just freaking caught probably one of the biggest waves of her life that day,” Rustan said.
In competitions, she won 34 trophies and 21 first-place trophies. She also became the only dog to be inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame.
The Huntington Beach City Council has proclaimed every December 5th as Sugar the Surfing Dog Day.
When she wasn’t surfing, Sugar and Ryan spent years volunteering for dozens of surf therapy foundations and going to the VA hospital.
Sugar was 16 years old.
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