Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And sometimes that eye bulges a little. Jinny Lu, a 6-year-old white pug with a permanently dangling tongue, prominent eyes and enough wrinkles to make a Shar-Pei jealous, has officially been crowned [1] the World’s Ugliest Dog.
The rescue pup took first place Aug. 14 at the 50th annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California – improving on her second-place finish last year.
Jinny Lu’s story wasn’t always so cute though.
She was rescued from South Korea’s dog-meat trade after reportedly being found living in a wooden box in freezing mountain weather. She eventually made her way to the United States and was adopted four years ago by Michelle Grady of Ukiah, California.
For being so spectacularly imperfect, Jinny Lu and Grady received a trophy and $5,000. Her famous face will also grace limited-edition MUG Root Beer cans, and the newly crowned canine celebrity earned a trip to New York for an appearance on NBC’s “Today.”
Despite the cheeky title, organizers say the contest isn’t about mocking dogs. It celebrates their differences while promoting rescue, adoption and acceptance.