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Proud winner: Wild Thang, here with his owner Ann Lewis, is officially the ugliest dog in the world. (EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO)
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Wild Thang has already tried it four times, three times he came second - this year the Pekingese has secured the title of "ugliest dog in the world". His owner can look forward to 5000 US dollars in prize money.
As we all know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Wild Thang nevertheless wins the title of ugliest dog in the world.
The eight-year-old Pekinese impressed with his wildly protruding gray-brown-white hair and a crookedly hanging tongue in the "World's Ugliest Dog" competition. The animal anti-beauty contest took place on Friday evening (local time) in Petaluma, California.
Last year, a Chinese crested dog named Scooter won the competition, which has been held annually for more than half a century.

Scooter, last year's winner, with his trophy. (EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO)
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For Wild Thang, it was his fifth participation in total. The dog had previously come second three times.
Dog owner Ann Lewis, who recently moved from Los Angeles to the US state of Oregon, received prize money of 5000 US dollars, the equivalent of around 4470 Swiss francs, for her dog's victory.
According to her, Wild Thang had contracted distemper as a puppy, leaving her with physical deformities, but the dog is "healthy and happy".
The vote for the "World's Ugliest Dog" attracts a lot of attention in the USA every year. According to the organizers, the aim is not to make fun of the "ugly" dogs, but rather to highlight their lovable and beautiful sides.
Many of the participants come from animal shelters. The campaign calls on people to take in abandoned animals.
The winning dogs will then receive a lot of recognition: The four-legged friends and their owners are invited to appear on nationally broadcast television shows after the competition.