Yes, you read that right. The World’s Ugliest Dog is an actual beauty contest that’s been running for nearly 30 years now, and this year’s winner has just been crowned late last month – meet Scamp the Tramp, a former stray with an untamable mane that “no amount of conditioner can calm”!

Scamp the Tramp
Source: Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds and Event Center 

According to Scamp’s hooman, Scamp was found on the streets and about to be put down by a Los Angeles animal shelter when she swooped in at his last hour and rescued him with a forever home. Since then, they’ve been inseparable, and Scamp has been a friendly and loving pet therapist for the past 7 years, visiting senior centres, spreading joy to young children, and promoting at adoption shelter outreach events.

Scamp and his trophy
Source: @sullyfoto 

With so much love radiating from Scamp, it’s no wonder that he won the contest – and that’s precisely what this beauty pageant is about. Exemplifying the age-old saying that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest celebrates the perfect imperfections that make each and every dog special and precious.

Tostito the Maine Chihuahua
Source: Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds and Event Center 

A testament that the pedigree does not define the pet, this contest is about all other kinds of beauty. Ones that go beyond the surface, like the beauty of what each and every pet can offer to our society, and the beauty of the bond between pets and their human companions!

Many of the contestants were rescue dogs from shelters and puppy mills, and because of this contest, awareness for adoption of dogs of all age and breeds have been greatly raised.

Wild Thang’s pageant photo
Source: Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds Event Center 

This year alone, 19 critters battled it out. Wild Thang, a Pekingese who suffers from distemper, which affects the musculature and nervous system, and Tostito, a rescue with no teeth or lower jaw due to the lack dental care he received and drinking dirty water, won second and third place respectively.

Hands up if you agree that it would be a great idea to have the contest here in Singapore as well!

Source: Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds and Event Center 

For more information on the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest and this year’s contestants, visit https://www.sonoma-marinfair.org/wud_gallery/.