Meet the UK’s first ever surf therapy dog, Scooter. Rescued from being put down as a stray in Portugal, the poodle-cross now lives in West Sussex where his special skills and bright blue mohawk have made him a local star. Kirstie Coy-Martin, 48, rescued him back in 2016 after seeing his photo online: “When he was found in Portugal they were to take him to a pound, but it was full, so he was going to be put to sleep,” explains Kirstie. “I saw his picture and his eyes and fell in love with him. So, I brought him over here.”
A keen surfer herself, full-time police officer Kirstie taught Scooter how to surf. To start with, he learnt to balance on the surfboard using cushions to resemble rocky waves before progressing to the sea. Kirstie said: “I follow lots of surfy things and dog things, and discovered one day that over in America there was such a thing as surf therapy dogs. I thought, wow, I wonder if I could teach Scooter to surf.”
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