Discover the World's Ugliest Dog Contest: Celebrating Unique Canine Beauty

 Wild Thang Crowned Winner at World's Ugliest Dog Contest

 Wild Thang, an eight-year-old Pekingese, has been crowned the winner of this year's World's Ugliest Dog Contest.

World's Ugliest Dog Contest

Held during the 2024 Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, this year's World's Ugliest Dog Contest featured eight contenders. Most of the participants were rescue dogs from shelters who have since found their forever families.

Wild Thang, hailing from Coos Bay, Oregon, has competed five times in previous World's Ugliest Dog Contests, but this marks his first win.

Wild Thang's unique appearance is due to a case of canine distemper he contracted as a 10-week-old puppy. The disease stunted the growth of his teeth, resulting in his characteristic dangling tongue, and caused a muscular disorder in one of his legs.

The World's Ugliest Dog Contest has been held for nearly 50 years and "celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique," according to its website.

As the winner, Wild Thang and his owner, Ann Lewis, will receive $5,000 and an appearance on NBC's The Today Show.

A 14-year-old pug in a wheelchair named Rome took second place, earning a prize of $3,000. It was Rome's first entry into the World's Ugliest Dog Contest.

"I love that [the competition] represents dogs that are imperfect — imperfectly perfect," said Rome's owner, Michelle Grady.