About Daytona Dog Beach, Inc

Daytona Dog Beach, Inc was founded as a 501(c)(3) non-profit on May 05, 2021, by Nanette McKeel Petrella.   

 The purpose of our organization is to work with community partners to promote, support, and educate the public in furtherance of safe, environmentally sound, and courteous dog-friendly beaches in the Greater Daytona Beach area of Volusia County. 

As an entirely volunteer organization, our mission is as follows:

• To promote dog beaches within Volusia County where well-behaved canine citizens can exercise in a clean, safe environment without endangering or annoying people, property, or wildlife.
• To maintain beautiful, clean, dog-friendly beach areas within Volusia County, open to dog lovers and friends who are willing to uphold the dog beaches’ rules and regulations.
• To view dog beaches as a community project in partnership with key players throughout the community, including the County of Volusia, designed to satisfy the needs of dog owners and non-dog owners alike.
• To promote education, training, and recreational activities that facilitate responsible dog ownership and better-behaved dogs, using volunteers and professionals in the animal welfare industry.

In 2025, Volusia County Animal Services reached out to Daytona Dog Beach, Inc to see if it was interested in presenting a dog surfing event on the dog-friendly beach in Daytona Beach.  Agreement was reached to pursue the event.  Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach was approached to serve as the host site for the event.  It agreed, and plans began to take place. 

As plans began taking shape for 2026, Nanette saw an opportunity to bring Hang 8 to Daytona Beach. She reached out to Eric Cooley about relocating the event and introducing it to a new audience on Daytona Beach. That outreach marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Hang 8.

On May 31, 2026, Hang 8 made its Daytona Beach debut at the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach, with Daytona Dog Beach, Inc. presenting the event in partnership with Volusia County Animal Services. The expanded Extravaganza featured dog surfing competitions, a Surfing Village, costume and kissing contests, live entertainment, an After-Pawty, and a special Memorial honoring Wednesday and other Surfing Dogs who have passed from our oceans and are surfing above.  

From Eric and Wednesday’s first event on the sands of Flagler Beach in 2022 to its expanded Daytona Beach stage in 2026, the Hang 8 Dog Surfing Extravaganza has grown into much more than a dog surfing competition. It has become a celebration of community, canine companionship, and the joy of bringing dogs and their people together in the sand and surf.