Koa's story starts on the shoulder of I-5 in Oregon, where a good Samaritan found a six-week-old puppy running loose in traffic and brought her to the nearest animal hospital — where emergency veterinarian Kristina Welsh happened to be working. It was love at first eye contact. In 2021, everything changed: Koa was diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma and underwent surgery followed by seventeen rounds of radiation. She came back stronger. Less than a year after being declared cancer-free, Koa won her first major title at the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regionals — then came back and won it again. Now in her early teens, she's still out there, barking the whole way to shore because she simply cannot contain how much fun she's having. Koa surfs like every wave is proof she's still here — because she's a survivor.