Those who say that it’s only inner beauty that counts will have to get up early to convince the judges of the world’s ugliest dog competition.
Presented at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, this annual classic has elected a new champion of undesirable physical attributes in the dog world…Wild Thang.
It’s an 8-year-old Pekingese who has finally got his hands on the $5,000 prize pool reserved for the big winner. Wild Thang had already failed to do so five times in the past, according to CNN.
“She was a crowd favorite… she’s like the bridesmaid and never the bride,” said one of the judges of the event.
AFP
Having contracted a virus that nearly cost him his life as a puppy, Wild Thang has suffered permanent damage that affects his physical appearance. His teeth that refuse to grow and his tongue that constantly hangs from the end of his snout are just a few of them.
A rookie on the podium
AFP
For his part, Rome, a 14-year-old pug, came in second place in his very first participation in the competition. Despite his curved legs which require the assistance of a walker, the silver medalist loves to “tap dance with his paws to express his joie de vivre”, according to his biography.
The organizers would like to point out that the competition is not aimed at “laughing at dogs”, but rather at discovering “wonderful characters”.
