Drop everything! These surfing dogs are the feel-good photos the world needs this week

TOPSHOT - Rusty competes during the World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacifica, California, on August 1, 2026. The event helps local charities raise money by sponsoring a contestant or a team, with a portion of the proceeds going to dog, environmental, and surfing nonprofit organizations. (Photo by Godofredo A. VÁSQUEZ / AFP via Getty Images).

Wildfires, droughts, protests, wars, elections – the news photos coming across my feed have felt rather heavy. Which is probably why when I saw dogs on a surfboard, I couldn’t stop looking at the photos.

The World Dog Surfing Championships brought over a dozen water-loving dogs together, and the photos are the feel-good images the world needs this week.