Book showcases the top dogs of 30A

This month, dogs up and down County Road 30A are going to be famous, thanks to part-time resident Tonia Shatzel.

Shatzel is publishing a hard-cover book featuring the dogs of 30A and beyond. She has spent the past six months photographing the dogs that run and jump on our beach. She now has around 100 to feature in her 240-page book.

The project began simply enough when Shatzel received a new camera for Christmas. Photography has been a hobby she has embraced most of her life, even while she owned her veterinary practice.

“My new camera has a zoom lens, so I took it to the beach and began playing around with it, photographing dogs and their owners on the beach without them knowing it. I posted some on Facebook and it crossed my mind, wondering if I was a good enough photographer to publish a book. But when I showed the photos to friends and they suggested I should make a book, the decision was made,” she said.

Shatzel sought help for the project from friends Keri and Greg Atchley, graphic designers and owners of Design 360 Studio.

As interest grew in her Facebook posts, Shatzel began posting when she would be at the beach with her camera, inviting anyone interested to come out with their pet and see if their dog’s photo could end up in her book.

“Some couldn’t make it to the beach when I was going to be there, yet they wanted to be a part of the project, so I made appointments with some,” she said. “The end result is some photos are of dogs that live on 30A, and some are of visitors to the beach.”

When Shatzel is not at her dad’s Freeport home, she lives on a horse farm in Ila, Ga., north of Athens.

Shatzel owns one dog, Shep, “a shaggy mut” she rescued from the streets of Buford, Ga.

With a heart for rescues, 10 percent of the profits from the book’s sale will go to Alaqua Animal Rescue in Freeport. The book will sell for $44.99 when released in June. It can be purchased at pre-sale online now for $30-$35 at www.dogsof30a.com. “This area is so unique,” gushes Shatzel. “The community is proud of their pets and embraces them. I love walking down to the beach and watching dogs run up and down on the sand gives me goose bumps. This lifestyle needs to be celebrated because as the area grows, it may not always be like this. I captured a lot of that.”   

The book will be available at Sundog Books at Seaside, where Patty, the black Lab holds court daily. Shatzel will hold a book signing there on July 2 from 5 - 9 p.m.

Another will be held at Lumpy’s Wine Bar at The Village of Baytowne Wharf on July 4 from 4 - 6 p.m., and at Red Bird Gallery on Aug. 6 from 6 - 8 p.m.