New 'World's Ugliest Dog' Crowned At Sonoma-Marin Fair
PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- After some fierce competition, a winner was crowned in the "World's Ugliest Dog" contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma.
"Peanut," a shelter rescue dog of unknown heritage, was named the winner of the contest held Friday evening.
Peanut, who is from Greenville, North Carlolina is a shelter rescue, a victim of abuse who was burned in a fire. The two-year-old was in an animal shelter for nine months before he found a home.
"He doesn't have lips anymore. His eyelids are also gone, and so he can't close his eyes so therefore his eyes water. The tears drain into his nose and so he has nice little snot bubbles because of it. So it's great, that adds to his character," Holly Chandler, Peanut's owner told KPIX 5.
"He's my baby. I guess I don't see him every day as being that ugly. But I guess the judges thought so," Chandler said.
Peanut also won the "mutts" category, according to fair marketing director Karen Spencer. A Chihuahua Chinese name Sweepea won the pedigree category.
A total of 29 dogs vied for this year's top prize of $1,500 and a 4-foot trophy, Spencer said.
Dog owners have traveled from North Carolina, Georgia and Florida to compete.
The winners are chosen by judges at the fair. A popular online vote held before the competition is just for fun, because the results can too easily be skewed, Spencer said.
One of the criteria the judges consider is the pooch's personality.
The judges were Brian Sobel, a member of the fair board, San Francisco Giants' in-game television reporter Amy Gutierrez, and television and film celebrity Cameron Mathison of Good Morning America and Dancing With the Stars.
TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.