After years of trying, Pekingese Wild Thang finally won the 2024 World’s Ugliest Dog contest. The 8-year-old canine took home the title on June 21, with prize money and an opportunity to be featured on the sponsor’s limited-edition products. The dog and his owner participated in the competition to support vaccinations, as Wild Thang contracted distemper when he was a puppy.
Pekingese ‘Wild Thang’ crowned World’s Ugliest Dog this year
On Friday, an 8-year-old Pekingese was crowned the World’s Ugliest Dog at the 2024 contest. The canine named Wild Thang belongs to Ann Lewis, who adopted him and lives with him in Oregon. The pup was born in Los Angeles, California, and was diagnosed with distemper when he was pretty young. While another puppy suffering from the same didn’t make it, Wild Thang was lucky.
Unfortunately, the virus prevented his teeth from growing properly and left his right leg forever waddling. Thus, Lewis and her beloved pet advocate for vaccinating furry companions to avoid unfortunate incidents such as the Pekingese’s. The duo has previously used their Instagram account to collect funds to help canines in Ukraine. Furthermore, due to their rescue efforts, seven pups have been saved and found their forever homes in the United States and Canada.
Wild Thang participated in the World’s Ugliest Dog contest for five years before winning the title in 2024. One of the judges noted, “It’s kind of like the bridesmaid and never the bride,” per Fox News. The canine is quite affectionate and enjoys pets and cuddles. Moreover, he loves sleeping on ice packs.
The annual event was sponsored by Mug Root Beer, which also helped pick the winner. The 8-year-old Pekingese received a $5,000 cash prize and will be appearing in a limited-edition root beer can. The second and third places got $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. The second place was rewarded to a senior Pug named Rome, and the third position was filled by senior dog Daisy Mae, both 14 years old.
