World's ugliest dog: Quasi Modo the Pit bull-Dutch Shepherd cross take top prize at contest
The dog, which suffers from a spinal defect, took top prize at the annual championships in California on Friday
A dog affectionately named “Quasi Modo” has been crowned the world’s ugliest dog at the annual contest in California.
The 10 year old pit bull-Dutch shepherd cross, who was born with a spinal condition that makes her hunchback, triumphed over her competition at the 27th annual World’s Ugliest Dog contest in Petaluma, California on Friday.
It is a sweet victory for Quasi Modo whose early life was beset by struggle after she was abandoned to an animal shelter.
There she was adopted by her current owner, a veterinarian from Florida, who won the $1,500 prize.
In her biography on the contest’s website she describes grown men “jumping on top of their cars” to get away from her: “My appearance can be a little unsettling to some (I have had grown men jump on top of their cars to get away from me because they thought I was a hyena or Tasmanian devil) but once they get to know me I win them over with my bubbly personality.”
Coming in second and third place respectively were two Chinese crested and Chihuahua mixes, named Sweepee Rambo and Frodo.
An 8-year-old Chihuahua named Precious received the “spirit award”, an honour for a dog which has overcome obstacles or provides a service to the community. Despite being blind in one eye, she has been trained to monitor smells related to low blood sugar and alert her owner, a disabled veteran.
The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, personality and natural ugliness.
Addtional reporting by AP
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