Arizona is officially home to the ugliest dog in the world
Jun 27, 2023, 3:00 PM
PHOENIX — The ugliest dog in the world resides in Arizona. No, that’s not a typo.
Scooter, a 7-year-old Chinese Crested, was crowned the winner — if you want to call him that — of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest that took place last week in California.
The pooch has quite the success story, lucky to even be in a contest to be crowned the most physically grotesque in his species.
Scooter was taken to animal control in Tucson as a puppy to be euthanized after being born with two deformed back legs.
His life was quickly restored by a volunteer from Saving Animals from Euthanasia, who undoubtedly was able to pick out Scooter from the other dogs.
Scooter’s chances of walking and living a normal life seemed slim, but the volunteer took him home with the other rescues of the day.
He was subsequently adopted and has thrived in his new life.
Scooter now has a cart, does therapy, loves going to the park and sometimes will walk on his two front legs.
“I am overjoyed and incredibly proud that Scooter has been crowned the winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog contest,” Scooter’s owner, Linda Elmquist, said in a press release. “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.”
Of course, the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest doesn’t exist to poke too much fun at the pups.
It’s billed as an event that “celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique.”
Even so, no dog in 2023 can claim to be as ugly as Scooter. Not even 7-year-old Wild Thang, a Pekingese from Oregon that took home second place.
Better luck next year, Wild Thang.
