Meet Wild Thang: Winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog Competition

An 8-year-old wild Thang Pekingese emerged victorious in the 2024 World’s Ugliest Dog competition held in Petaluma, California on June 21. The competition, which took place during the Sonoma-Marin Fair, featured eight participants, most of whom were rescued. shelters before finding their permanent home.

According to Sky News, the animal has entered the competition five times, finishing second three times before finally winning the top prize this year. Wild Thang, originally from Los Angeles, recently moved to North Bend, Oregon to enjoy his retirement.

Wild Thang’s distinctive appearance is the result of a battle with distemper when he was just 10 weeks old. The disease stunted the growth of his teeth, causing his tongue to protrude, and led to a muscle disorder affecting one of his legs.

The World’s Ugliest Dog competition, now in its fiftieth year, “celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique,” as stated on its website.

According to the website, the purpose of the event is not to ridicule “ugly dogs”, but rather to enjoy the company of these wonderful characters and demonstrate to the world that these dogs are truly beautiful.