They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And the annual World’s Ugliest Dog contest unearthed some true diamonds in the ruff on Friday when it was held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California.
Wild Thang, an 8-year-old Pekingese, was crowned the winner and collected the $5,000 prize after five previous attempts.
“He was a fan favorite … he’s kind of like the bridesmaid and never the bride,” judge Fiona Ma told the Associated Press. “He really tugged at our heart strings and deserved to win.”
As a puppy, Wild Thang contracted a virus that almost killed him and left him with permanent damage. His teeth never developed, so his tongue flops out, and his right front leg paddles all the time.
“He’s never had a haircut so that is the way he is and (his owner) shaves his stomach and he likes to sleep on ice packs,” Ma added. “He is just a sweet dog – I was just holding him, and he loves to be held and cuddled. That’s part of it, these rescue dogs, they just need forever homes, so please adopt, don’t shop.”
The contest is not about making fun of the dogs, organizers stressed, “but having fun with some wonderful characters and showing the world that these dogs are really beautiful!”
