Scarborough dog yoga class preparing for 24-hour swim event raising funds for autism

A continuous 24-hour swim relay at Scarborough Beach Pool raising funds for neuro-diverse children will contain one special team.

Downward Dog Yoga is a free dog yoga community in Scarborough that was started by yoga instructor Shane Fleay.

Mr Fleay said the group started in October 2022 with a few friends gathering regularly at the park to do yoga with their dogs but had grown to a cult following of up to 70 people per class.

The 45-minute classes are held every Tuesday at 6.10am at Brighton Reserve in Scarborough.

The group sessions enable locals to start the day with stretches and poses alongside their canine friends.

“I think it’s just a good crew of people that just come down and enjoy hanging out having a coffee afterwards,” Mr Fleay said.

“I think the whole aim is just to have fun so we don’t really take it too seriously. The point is to kind of get licked in the face by the dogs, so that’s probably the part that most people come down for.

“The dogs just run around but actually the funny thing is they tend to calm down during the yoga. They all go crazy beforehand then when we start they kind of calm down, so it’s funny I think they mirror your attitude.”

Downward Dog Yoga will be one of the 20 teams in the Revo Fitness 24 Hour Swim for Ocean Heroes, with the event now in its fourth year.

Mr Fleay, who has volunteered at Ocean Heroes events in the past, said the group was eager to support the cause and his sights were set on raising as much money as possible through the dog yoga.

The teams of 12 swimmers will swim relay-style for the entire 24-hour period to raise funds for Ocean Heroes, who support 2500 neuro-diverse individuals through 34 free events in 2024.

The event will run from 4pm on Friday, April 19, to 4pm April 20, with the winner the team that has raised the most money.

The team with the most laps swum in the 24 hours will also win a free membership to any Revo Fitness gym in WA.

The team that completed the most laps last year covered the equivalent of seven Rottnest Channel swims.

Ocean Heroes co-founder Luke Hallam said unlike many fitness and swimming events, the 24 Hour Swim was not about personal bests.

“We have plenty of swimmers who are donning the goggles, braving the water, getting wet and doing as many laps as they can manage, all in the name of helping neuro-diverse people and families living with autism with access to Ocean Heroes’ life-changing experiences,” he said.

“It’s so incredible to see so many people passionately put their hand up, or put their goggles on, as the case may be, and do their bit for the families we serve.”

Ocean Heroes encourages the public to head online and donate to their favourite team swimming in the 24 Hour Swim Challenge at givenow.com.au/oceanheroes and head along on April 19 or 20 and support the swim as a spectator.

If you would like to donate to the Downward Dog Yoga team in the Revo Fitness 24 Hour Swim for Ocean Heroes, head to the link in their Instagram bio @downwarddogyoga_perth.