With a tuft of punk-style hair and a tongue sticking perennially out the side of his mouth, a dog named Mr Happy Face has been crowned the world’s ugliest pooch.
Key points:
- Organisers say the world-renowned event “celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique”
- This year’s champion — Mr Happy Face — enjoys “sleeping, snoring, woofing in his sleep and making odd sounds when he is happy”
- His proud owner also took home a winner’s prize of more than $2,000
This 17-year-old Chinese crested defeated nine competitors on Friday (local time) in the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, a decades-old event held annually in Petaluma, California.
The champ was adopted as a rescue last year by a 41-year-old Arizona musician, Jeneda Benally.
“During the pandemic, I had hoped to either have a baby or adopt a dog. Since having a baby would have been an act of God, I opted to adopt a dog,” Ms Benally said as she introduced Mr Happy Face at the contest.
At the shelter she said she was told about an older dog with health problems, a creature that “could be inbred because he was so ugly”.
“The shelter staff tried to prepare me for what I was about to see. I saw a creature who was indeed old, needed a second chance and deserved to be loved,” said the proud owner, who also took home a winner’s prize of $US1,500 (more than $2,000).
She said Mr Happy Face had previously lived with a person who hoarded and conditions were abominable.
Vets said that with his poor health the dog might only live a few weeks.
“Love, kindness and mommy kisses have helped him defy the anticipated short life that we all expected him to have with our family.
“Mr Happy Face is wonderful. I love his crooked head, his hairless body. He’s all pimply. And he’s just adorable but ugly at the same time,” said Dave Rupiper, one of the judges and a local veterinarian at the East Petaluma Animal Hospital.
‘All dogs special and unique’
One dog named Josie sported hair similar to the character Doc Brown from the film franchise Back to the Future, according to one of the judges.
Runner-up from 2019 Wild Thang, a 6-year-old Pekingese with more hair than body and with no teeth to hold its tongue in its mouth, won second place, while a 12-year-old blue factor Brussels griffon named Monkey won third.
Other contestants included a Mexican hairless named Morita, who was found on the streets of Puerto Penasco, Mexico, and brought to the US via the Santa Rosa rescue organisation Compassion without Borders.
A pair of pugs — both coincidentally rescued separately from Asia and now living at the Pug Hotel Senior Sanctuary in Sonoma County — also competed.
“Dogs of all breeds and sizes have warmed our hearts and filled our lives with unconditional love,” contest organisers said.
AFP/Reuters
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