PETALUMA, calif. — It’s that time again when dogs with unusually large heads, hairless bodies or other oddities compete to be the World’s Ugliest Dog.
This year’s winner? A 2-year-old mutt named Peanut, whose wild white and brown hair, bulging eyes and protruding teeth belie his sweet, energetic personality.
Although Peanut is healthy now, his owner, Holly Chandler of Greenville, N.C., said the dog was seriously burned as a puppy, resulting in bald patches all over his body. Chandler said she hopes Peanut’s victory will help raise awareness about animal abuse.
“We’re trying to use him as a poster child for what can happen to animals who are abused,” she said.
She plans to use the $1,500 prize to pay for other animals’ veterinary bills.
The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, Calif., is in its 26th year. Past winners have included a duck-footed beagle-boxer-basset hound mix with a waddle and a Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix with a protruding tongue. The Associated Press
