No one in the world would call Scooter a “classic beauty.”
The Chinese crested pup, after all, is almost entirely bald, save for a patch of sparse, wiry white hair. His long tongue spills out of his mouth and he’s got a rat-like tail.
Perhaps Scooter’s most striking feature, however, are his legs — both of his hind legs face backward, the result of a birth defect.
Lucky for Scooter, however, all of his peculiarities worked in his favour last week, when he charmed the judges into awarding him the top prize at the “World’s Ugliest Dog” contest in Petaluma, Calif., Friday.
As a puppy, Scooter was saved from euthanasia after he was brought into an animal control facility.
The rescue group volunteer who saved him “knew that this pup might have a chance at finding a good home and a fairly normal life with the support of our rescue group,” Scooter’s biography reads.
Now, with the help of therapy and a specialized cart, Scooter is able to walk and “has no idea that he is any different from any other dog,” his biography says.
“I am overjoyed and incredibly proud that Scooter has been crowned the winner of the world’s ugliest dog contest,” said Linda Elmquist, Scooter’s owner, in a statement.
“Despite the challenges he has faced with his deformed hind legs, Scooter has defied all odds and shown us the true meaning of resilience and determination.”
Elmquist told Today that she adopted Scooter seven months ago from the man with the rescue group. When not attached to his cart, he can balance on his front legs while walking around, and when he gets tired he props himself up on his bum, “which he uses as a tripod,” says his bio.
The World’s Ugliest Dog competition is held yearly as part of the Sonoma-Marin fair and causes a bit of a delighted stir online.
Not only does the show raise awareness about the importance of dog adoption but it also showcases that while some dogs might have outward imperfections, they are just as loveable as any Best in Show titleholder.
Chinese crested dogs have taken home the title of World’s Ugliest Dog at least 10 times in the competition’s 50-year history, making them the breed to beat.
This year’s Second Place prize went to a seven-year-old Pekingese by the name of Wild Thing, and 16-year old Chihuahua Harold Bartholomew took home both the Third Place prize and the Spirit Award.
A mutt named Rascal Deux, described jokingly as a “Hairy Mutant” breed, won the People’s Choice award.