Dog surfing competition draws crowds at Flagler Beach event

FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. - Flagler Beach went to the dogs, as surfers got their four-legged friends on their surfboards Saturday morning. "There's nothing else I'd rather be doing with my son and my dog than surfing," said surfer Jeff Ryan.

This was the second-annual "Hang Eight" dog surfing event in Flagler Beach. Ryan said his dog, Tank, loved it out on the water. "Once the wave gets him he's gone. He's just heading for the beach and then jumps for it," he said, "it's pretty fun!"

Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston helped come up with the idea. She said it had been a huge success. "Flagler Beach is a dog-friendly community, a surf community. What better than to marry the two and have an event here in our local town?"

Thirty dogs signed-up to surf, along with even more dogs taking part in a costume contest. "They love it," said surfer Chris Yeloushan, "she's been dressing up our dogs since they were born, so they're used to it. Always looking for a way to get on camera.

The event wasn’t just a competition, it was also a fundraiser. All proceeds went to nonprofit groups K9s for Warriors, Smart Animal Rescue, and the Flagler County Humane Society, which was also on the beach with dogs up for adoption. Organizers raised about six thousand dollars from last year's event. They hoped to pull in even more money, this time around.