Ricochet, the Surfin' for Paws-abilities dog, rides the waves with teen

Ricochet (a.k.a. Rip Curl Ricki) is a golden retriever that uses her talents to help others. How? As an Surfin' for Paws-abilities dog, she rides her way into the heart of disabled individuals and helps them raise money for treatment and other services. One of her latest ventures was with Patrick, a 15-year-old quadriplegic. Together, they road the waves at a California beach and; as a result, gained local media attention. See the video below:

What Ricochet is trying to do specifically for Patrick is offset his physical therapy costs and pay for a new service dog. Until this goal is met, she will compete in contests to raise funds. Help her make this happen by donating money to her cause today. (Click here to donate.)

One of the most interesting parts of this story is that Ricochet was raised to be a service dog under the Puppy Prodigies Neo-Natal & Early Learning Program. However, her love for chasing birds and small animals disqualified her. As an alternative, she became a Surfin' for Paws-abilities surf-ice dog and trained to ride the waves. These talents are now allowing her to help people and stay true to her original purpose. Ricochet is an excellent example of how a change in one’s life path is often a blessing.

Ricochet's next event will be on October 11, 2009. She will be at the Surf City Surf Dog contest in Huntington Beach. There, she will be showcasing new surfing skills. Get the details about this event by visiting SurfCitySurfDog.com.