In the small town of Petaluma, California on June 21st, an 8-year-old Pekingese named Wild Thang won the World’s Ugliest Dog 2024 contest. The competition, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, featured eight participants, many of whom had been rescued from shelters before finding their forever homes.
Wild Thang, originally from Los Angeles, has competed in the contest five times before finally winning this year. His unique appearance is a result of a battle with canine distemper when he was just 10 weeks old. This illness caused his teeth to not grow properly, leading to his tongue sticking out and also resulting in a muscular disorder affecting one of his legs.
Despite his differences, Wild Thang is loved and cherished by his owners who see him as a truly beautiful dog with a big heart. The World’s Ugliest Dog competition aims to celebrate the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique. The event’s website states that the purpose of the competition is not to make fun of “ugly dogs,” but to instead appreciate the wonderful characters that they are and show the world that these dogs are beautiful in their own special way. It is a way to showcase the diversity and beauty of all dogs, regardless of their physical appearance.
