The annual World’s Ugliest Dog contest in California has named its 2024 winner — an eight-year-old Pekingese called Wild Thang.
Wild Thang claimed his first victory in the contest after competing in five previous editions.
The Pekingese from Oregon contracted canine distemper as a puppy, an infectious disease that affected the growth of his teeth and caused muscular disorder in one of his legs.
The 2024 contest was held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California and saw eight dogs battling it out for the title.
A panel of judges made the final decision on the winner, with voting open to the public for the people’s choice award, which this year went to 14-year-old pug Rome.
The prize for Wild Thang’s owner Ann Lewis is $5000 (NZD$8172) and an appearance on the Today show.
The World’s Ugliest Dog competition has been run for over 50 years and began as a fundraising event.
It now serves to advocate for the adoption of rescue dogs and other animals — with most of the contenders this year coming from dog shelters before being adopted.
The organisation’s website said that the “world-renowned event celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique”.
SHARE ME