Pekingese called Wild Thang wins World’s Ugliest Dog contest
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After many tries, a pet named Wild Thang was finally declared the winner of the title 'world's ugliest dog'.
The Pekingese dog from Coos, Oregon, who is eight years old, won the first prize at a competition in California on Friday.
Most of the participants at the 2024 competition at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma were dogs that had been saved.
Wild Thang was found to have canine distemper when he was just a puppy. This illness stopped his teeth from growing and also affected the muscles in his leg.
Ann Lewis, the person who owns him, will get $5,000 (almost £4,000) and they will both be on NBC's The Today Show.
The competition for the title of The World’s Ugliest Dog has been held for 50 years, as stated on its website. It aims to promote the love and care for all animals and the advantages of adopting pets.
Rome, the 14-year-old pug, came in second place, beating out Daisy Mae, a mixed-breed dog with a white coat, who finished in third.
A variety of dogs, including Chinese Crested mixes, pug crosses, and a Brussels Griffon/Pug mix called Freddie Mercury, were also participating in the competition.
A group of judges selected the champion, while the audience had the opportunity to vote online for the award chosen by the people, which was given to Rome the 14-year-old pug.
The panel of judges consisted of Gadi Schwartz, a correspondent for NBC News; Linda Witong Abrahm, an advocate for human rights; and Fiona Ma, the treasurer of California.
The website for the event states: "The yearly World's Ugliest Dog Contest is not meant to mock "ugly" dogs, but to celebrate the unique characters and showcase that these dogs are truly beautiful!"
