Pekingese called Wild Thang wins World's Ugliest Dog contest

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After several unsuccessful attempts, a pet called Wild Thang was finally crowned the ‘world’s ugliest dog’.

The loll-tongued Pekingese, who is eight years old and from Coos in Oregon, won the gong at this year’s contest held in California on Friday.

The majority of competitors at the 2024 event, in Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, were rescue dogs.

Wild Thang was diagnosed with canine distemper - which prevented the growth of his teeth and caused muscular disorder in his leg - as a puppy.

His owner Ann Lewis, will receive $5,000 (almost £4,000) and the pair will appear on NBC’s The Today Show.

The World’s Ugliest Dog contest has been running for 50 years according to its website, and “speaks to the importance of advocating for the adoration of all animals and the benefits of adopting”.

Rome, a 14-year-old pug, took second place on the podium, just ahead of Daisy Mae, a white-coated mixed-breed in third.

Chinese crested mixes, pug mixed breeds and a Brussels-griffon/pub mig named Freddie Mercury were among the other contestants.

A panel of judges chose the winner, with members of the public allowed to vote online for the people’s choice award, which went to 14-year-old pug Rome.

The judges included Gadi Schwartz, NBC News correspondent; Linda Witong Abrahm, a human rights activist; and Fiona Ma,  California’s state treasurer.

The event’s website reads: “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!”