Things are starting to get ugly in the picturesque California town of Petaluma.
Indeed, the place will go to the dogs when the winner of what’s being billed as the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest is announced Friday night.
It’s shaping up to be a hideous affair.
Nineteen contestants featuring droopy tongues, bowed legs, perpetually confused looks and other strange attributes are going nose-to-nose in the annual competition.
Most were previously abandoned or rescued from kill shelters in the U.S., found abandoned on streets or seized from unscrupulous breeders.
First they’ll walk the red carpet and preen for adoring fans at Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in the heart of Northern California wine country. The winner then gets $1,500, a trophy the size of a Rottweiler, and a future appearance on the “Today” show.
Everyone knows ugliness is in the eye of the beholder and, to a dog lover, there is no such thing as an uncomely canine. Weird-looking, maybe. Appearance-challenged, perhaps. Or, as owners of ugly dogs like to say, “unique.”
Like little Tostito, whose damaged ears and droopy tongue make him look like he just stuck his foot into an electrical socket.
Or Willie Wonka, a sweet-natured pit bull abandoned after it was discovered he had a genetic malady that left his legs so bowed he could barely walk.
Publicist Christy Gentry says with a chuckle that the competition is not just about being ugly.
“Judges are looking for special attributes like hanging tongues, slobber drool (the more the better). Maybe unusual patches of skin or hair,” she explains.
Indeed, the contest is more akin to a canine Cinderella story — one in which the glass slipper is seized but not chewed to pieces — and bringing attention to the needs of rescue dogs.
Last year’s champion, an English bulldog named Zsa Zsa, with a tongue that hung nearly to the ground, endeared herself to the judges when she sneezed and drooled all over them.
Soon she was headed to New York for national TV appearances. Another previous winner, Nana, made the cover of an album by the Grateful Dead spinoff band Ratdog.
“What we’re really doing is we’re showcasing dogs that have been rescued and adopted and brought into loving homes,” Gentry said. “These are sort of spokesdogs for adoption.”
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.