Wild Thang, An 8-Year-Old Pekingese, Is The Winner Of This Year's World's Ugliest Dog Contest
NDTV
Wild Thang's owner Ann Lewis will now receive $5,000. Additionally, the pair will appear on NBC's 'The Today Show'.
The World's Ugliest Dog contest has picked a new winner this year - an eight-year-old Pekingese named Wild Thang. According to The Guardian, the contest, held during the 2024 Sonoma-Marin Fair in California, included eight contenders in total - the majority of rescues who came from shelters before finding their forever families. Wild Thang, from Oregon, has competed in five editions of the World's Ugliest Dog contest and Friday marked his first victory.
According to the official website, Wild Thang's unique looks are due to a case of canine distemper when he was a 10-week-old puppy. The disease prevented the growth of his teeth, hence the dangling tongue and muscular disorder in one of his legs. "Other than that, he is a healthy, happy Glugly (glamourous/ugly) guy," the site read.
The World's Ugliest Dog contest has been held for nearly 50 years. It "celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique," per the website. "The contest speaks to the importance of advocating for the adoration of all animals and the benefits of adopting," it added.
