Dogs are great, aren't they? They have the ability to make everything better. If you're feeling bad, just look at pictures of dogs or watch funny dog videos on YouTube, your mood will be instantly cured. However, while we would all unanimously say that "all dogs are beautiful," this dog has been crowned as officially "ugly".
I know what you're thinking, and I feel the same. Calling a dog ugly is a form of bullying. It's not fair. It's out of order. But, saying that... when you see this dog. Well, let's just say, you'll understand where they're coming from.
Meet Zsa Zsa, an English bulldog who has muscular, rounded legs and a very noticeable underbite. Clearly, she's not the most aesthetically pleasing dog in the world, but most recently, Zsa Zsa has been crowned as the World's Ugliest Dog.
The nine-year-old bulldog scooped the crown during the 2018 World’s Ugliest Dog contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday. According to her biography, Zsa Zsa was found through a pet-finding site by her owner, Megan Brainard, from Minnesota.
Brainard will receive $1,500 for winning the contest, which sees dogs take to the red carpet in order to flaunt their imperfections. Some may be hairless, others have flopping tongues; no matter what their flaw is, all are welcome to participate.
Contestants this year included a blackhead-covered Dachshund mutt, a bulldog mix with plenty of excess wrinkly skin, and a Pekingese named Wild Thang. Last year, the contest was won by a 125-pound Neopolitan Mastiff called Martha, who suffered from gas and an incredibly droopy face.
After they parade themselves down the walkway, the dogs are then evaluated by a panel of judges to decide who deserves to take home the crown of the World's Ugliest Dog. It's a tough decision, with all the dogs showing why they deserve to scoop the gong. However, there can only be one winner and this year it was the turn of Zsa Zsa.
The event is now in its 30th year, and organisers claim that they run it in order to show that many pets are available for adoption. While it usually takes place on a Friday night, organisers changed it to a Saturday in order to draw in a bigger crowd and raise more awareness for the animals.
Christy Gentry, a spokeswoman for the event, said: "The world's ugliest dog contest is an iconic tradition of the Sonoma-Marin Fair.
"And with so many lovable animals displaced and available for adoption, we want our fans to know what this contest is really about.
"It's a fun and silly way to advocate that all animals deserve a safe and loving home."
While the title may seem harsh, the event spreads awareness for these lovely animals, so it does do some good for the world. Also, I'm sure Megan Brainard isn't complaining - she's $1,500 richer, after all.
