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Sugar the surfing dog has died following battle with cancer

March 30, 2026

The world champion surfing dog Sugar, the first-ever canine to be named to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, has died.

Sugar became a familiar sight in the surf over the last 16 years, a small white pup who was often shredding at the Huntington Beach Pier among the locals.

The city of Huntington Beach announced the dog’s passing on Monday, March 30, calling Sugar “a true local legend.”

Sugar earned five World Dog Surf Champion titles and served as a therapy dog for her owner, Ryan Rustan, who held Sugar in his arms as she passed peacefully, surrounded by love, city officials said in the post.

Sugar keeps a low center of gravity as owner Ryan Rustan keeps an eye on her during the 4th Annual Surf City Surf Dog contest in 2012. The rescue dog, from the streets of Los Angeles, had a hard start to life before Rustan adopted her. Several of her teeth were knocked out. Now she "just stays on the surfboard like a cat," he said at the time. (Photo by: MINDY SCHAUER, SCNG) — Sugar keeps a low center of gravity as owner Ryan Rustan keeps an eye on her during the 4th Annual Surf City Surf Dog contest in 2012. The rescue dog, from the streets of Los Angeles, had a hard start to life before Rustan adopted her. Several of her teeth were knocked out. Now she “just stays on the surfboard like a cat,” he said at the time. (Photo by: MINDY SCHAUER, SCNG)

“Sugar wasn’t just a champion on the waves — she was a symbol of joy, resilience and purpose,” officials said. “From inspiring the surfing world to advocating for rescue dogs and bringing comfort to veterans as a therapy dog, her impact reached far beyond the shoreline.”

Rustan picked Sugar up as a rescue from the streets of Los Angeles, the small pooch missing three of her bottom teeth and in ragged shape.

“She’s helped me 10 times more than I’ve helped her, mentally,” Rustan said in a previous interview. “She changed me, dude. She changed my whole life.”

Rustan first took Sugar into the pool and put her on a bodyboard, and she seemed to have good balance, he said, her stance more like a cat clinging onto the board than a dog.

Then, Rustan started to share his love for the ocean, putting Sugar on a surfboard with him at his local spot near the pier in Huntington Beach. Later, he got Sugar her own surfboard.

During the U.S. Open of Surfing in 2014, a video captured a wave Sugar rode and was shown repeatedly as a “heat recap” for millions of viewers and surf fans around the world.

Sugar has been in many viral videos, surfing everything from big waves and barrels in the ocean to charging at man-made wave pools.

She was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in 2024, putting her paws in the cement at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street, as her health began to decline from her battle with cancer.

Sugar checks out her work after putting her paws in cement while being inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Sugar the Surfing Dog is the first wave-riding canine to earn the honor. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) — Sugar checks out her work after putting her paws in cement while being inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Sugar the Surfing Dog is the first wave-riding canine to earn the honor. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

“A local at the pier, Sugar is among the greatest dog surfers to ever come out of Huntington Beach,” Aaron Pai, owner of Huntington Surf & Sport and creator of the Hall of Fame, said at the induction ceremony.

In addition to her five Surf City Surf Dog championships, she had 19 first-place finishes at other dog surfing competitions.

“Thank you, Sugar, for the smiles, the waves, and the legacy you leave behind,” the city’s post said.

Sugar had recently had a tumor removed, according to news reports. She also had one last surf session a few weeks ago at her regular surf spot at the pier.

“It will make you cry just thinking about who she was – a little, bony, toothless, frightened little baby girl – to this amazing surf dog queen,” Rustan said in 2014. “I would love her to just leave a mark in this life to inspire those who are lost like me.”

Sugar the surfing dog has died following battle with cancer Orange County Register

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Sugar the surfing dog has died following battle with cancer

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