Murrells Inlet event celebrates Boykin Spaniel as South Carolina’s state dog, raises money for rescue

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the date of the event

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW) — The sixth Boykin Spaniel Fall Fling in Murrells Inlet celebrates the South Carolina state dog while also raising money for the Boykin Spaniel Rescue.

Boykin spaniels, originally bred for South Carolina hunters, have held the title of state dog since 1985. They are known for their mild nature.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at A Dog’s Way Inn in Murrells Inlet. There is a $10 donation at the gate for a single person or $20 per family. The event features agility demos, dock-diving, Santa photos, a tricks contest and much more.

“It’s a big, fun, family event,” events manager Cindy Allred said. “Of course, the Boykins love it. The weather looks great for the event, and the location has a pond there so they can go swimming. There’s also a dock-diving pool there, which is great if your dogs like to swim or if you’re thinking you might want to try that.”

Allred explained why she has a passion for helping the Boykin breed.

“Their loyalty to people and their great disposition is just wonderful,” Allred said. “They can hang out with the family, they can go into the field, they can go hang out with you at the beach, they’re a very versatile dog.”

Allred described how the funds raised will help support Boykin Spaniel Rescue due to the increased popularity of the breed.

“Our intake numbers just continue to climb, year after year,” she said. “Sadly, so do the catastrophic cases, as I mentioned up to 40 this year already. Each dog that we take into care is provided with the best-in-class care, and the forever family that each dog deserves.”

She said all of the funds raised ensure that every Boykin gets the care they deserve. Allred rescued her dog from Boykin Spaniel Rescue and said the breed has been in her family for more than 30 years.

“He was abandoned by somebody and the folks that found him realized ‘hey, I think that’s a Boykin’ so they called Boykin Spaniel Rescue,” Allred said. “We sent somebody out to get him, transported him to a foster. We saw his bio on the BSR website and said, ‘I think this guy’s a good fit for us.’”

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Hannah Huffstickler is a multimedia journalist at News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2024 after graduating from Coastal Carolina University in December of 2023. Keep up with Hannah on Facebook , X, formerly Twitter , and Instagram . You can also read more of her work here .

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