Petunia wins ugliest dog contest by being loved, not by looking perfect
Petunia - a hairless English-French bulldog mix - and owner Shannon Nyman celebrating first place in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest, at the Sonoma County Fair in California, on Aug 8.
NEW YORK - She does not stand in triumph. She does not strut.
Instead, Petunia rides in someone's arms, her small, hairless body balanced against a loop of pink leash. Fairground trophies shine behind her, but she looks away, folds of skin settling like soft hills along her neck.
Petunia, a two-year-old hairless English-French bulldog mix from Eugene, Oregon, arrived at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California, on Aug 8 not as a polished show dog but as herself.
The World's Ugliest Dog Contest, a decades-old tradition meant to promote the adoption of dogs and remind people that 'pedigree does not define the pet,' has never sought perfection.
In this competition, the missing fur, the misaligned teeth, the eyes that wander in different directions – they are not flaws, but badges of honour.
But Petunia's story began far from the fairground.
In Las Vegas, she lived in the chaos of a backyard breeder and hoarder. Rescuers from Luvable Dog Rescue in Oregon brought her north, where she got the medical care she long needed: a spay, and surgery to correct an elongated palate, a painful condition that makes every breath a chore.
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She healed. She learned to walk on Oregon trails and to curl into the nook of a couch. Today, Petunia is described as a 'gentle soul who adores other dogs, cats, and people.'
Contest organisers said their competition celebrates the 'imperfections that make all dogs special and unique.'
Petunia's imperfections will grace limited-edition cans of MUG Root Beer, a sponsor of the contest, and earned her US$5,000 (S$6,400).
She will also make an appearance on NBC's Today show on Aug 11. NYTIMES
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