No matter what we look like, our wonderful canine companions would love us all the same. And for most of us, at least, we feel the same way about our pets. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of lighthearted fun about the way they look.
An annual World’s Ugliest Dog contest is held at Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California. Organizers stress that the contest isn’t to make fun of dogs but to spread awareness that every dog is still beautiful in their own way.
Wild Thang
Wild Thang, a Pekinese, has entered the contest many times but has only recently won the judges over.
Wild Thang was a puppy saved from a terrible disease that took his mother’s life. His owner tried their best to save their rescue dog, but they could only save her puppy – Wild Thang. However, he wasn’t left without scars.
Canine distemper stunted the Pekingese’s development, leaving him toothless and with a crooked tongue that always hanged out. But his owner still loves him just the same.
A Regular At The Contest
They live on a farm in Oregon where Wild Thang has all the space he could ever ask for. At the competition, if people ever try to tell her that Wild Thang isn’t ugly, she agrees and says, “he’s perfectly imperfect.”
With his hair grown out, Wild Thang was aptly named. His owner changed his name to Wild Thang from Smurf because of how much he looks like one of the characters from “Where The Wild Things Are.”
After attending the competition for six years, Wild Thang has gained a following in the community. His owner loves the kind of people that come to this kind of contest, as they’re lighthearted and goofy. On his last attempt, Wild Thang placed second, but this time, he would go for gold.
“Deserved To Win”
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer and one of the judges, said, “The fact that he had been competing five times and only came in second, kind of like the bridesmaid and never the bride, really tugged at our heartstrings. He deserved to win.”
He placed first this year, which meant he won $5000. His owner took a portion and donated it to organizations that rescue dogs. At the end of the day, it’s not just about the competition and the prize money. The contest has raised a lot of money for charity.
Wild Thang has gained a following over the years. “After he’d won, they whisked me off so I wouldn’t give any interviews before we were flown to New York to do The Today Show the next morning.” She said, “Imagine all that fuss over a silly little eight-year-old dog. It was a neat feeling.”
For A Good Cause
A pug named Rome takes part in the competition and also in the 2023 Wheeling Pug Relay team – an event that raises money for dogs that need wheelchairs.
Wild Thang has made his own contributions, raising money to get seven Pekingese dogs in Ukraine out of the country and to safer places. Most origin stories for the dogs competing are marked by hardship, but with their loving owners and supportive community, it shows that despite their past, they are some of the most amazing dogs out there.
The official website for the contest says, “The annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest is not about making fun of “ugly” dogs, but having fun with some wonderful characters and showing the world that these dogs are really beautiful!”
Source:
Super fluffy 8-year-old Pekingese Wild Thang wins 2024 World’s Ugliest Dog contest
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