Scooter Wins the 2023 World's Ugliest Dog Contest

Ugly never looked so good!

Scooter triumphed over a group of unique-looking canines to win the 2023 World's Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California on Friday.

This year's champion was born with deformed back legs, according to TODAY. The 7-year-old was saved by the Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE) rescue group.

As the grand prize winner, Scooter, a hairless Chinese Crested dog, receives $1,500, a trophy, and the adoration of the contest's thousands of fans.

The World's Ugliest Dog Contest is an annual event that started over 20 years ago and was designed to inspire love for all animals, especially rescue pets.

"While the World's Ugliest Dog contest is a celebration of the imperfections that make our dogs lovable, a good many of them are rescues from shelters and puppy mills, so we use the fun and notoriety of this competition to raise awareness for dog adoption," Tawny Tesconi, CEO, Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds and Event Center, said in a statement. "Dogs are like family and deserve loving homes no matter their physical distraction."

Last year, the contest returned after a two-year break due to the pandemic. In 2022, a dog named Mr. Happy Face won the top prize, thanks in part to his crooked grin and stark, white mohawk.

Scooter joins Mr. Happy Face and over a dozen other pups in the Ugliest Dog Contest winner's circle, including 2019 winner Scamp the Tramp and Zsa Zsa, whose wide stance and teeth-exposing underbite helped her beat out 13 other contestants in 2018.

Along with giving out prizes for first, second, and third place, the World's Ugliest Dog Contest also offers a People's Choice Award and a Spirit Award.

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The winner of the contest's People's Choice Award is chosen by the community online and announced on stage at the event. This year, Rascal Deux was the people's pick.

The Spirt Award is given to a dog who has overcome obstacles or is providing a service to their community. For 2023, Harold Bartholomew took home the honor.