World’s Ugliest Dog: Online Voting Opens For Annual Contest

There are some really ugly dogs in this year’s world’s ugliest dog contest.

The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, the ugly cousin of the Westminster Dog Show, will be held this weekend at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California. The theme of the fair this year is the “Dog Days Of Summer” and this weekend fair-goers will celebrate the 25th ugly dog show.

Organizer Vicki DeArmon said: “It started as a homegrown kind of contest — very small and quirky. But the whole thing has accelerated beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings.”

Those that can’t attend the show can vote for their favorite ugly dog online. Unfortunately, the online voting system is purely for fun and won’t have any impact on the actual winner.

The Sonoma-Marin Fair writes: “This online voting gallery is just for fun and DOES NOT determine the winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest.”

Instead, the new champion will be crowned by a panel of judges.

DeArmon said that the World’s Ugliest Dog contest helps show people that only ugly dogs can be sweethearts.

DeArmon said: “In a way, we all love an ugly dog, and we love the underdog,” she said. “When you go into a shelter and see a dog that may not normally be adopted, your heart calls to that dog. The contest is a humorous relief that makes the world a little lighter. These are some of the best dog owners in the world. Some of them take it very seriously. I think a few hearts have been broken when they haven’t been the winner.”

Here are some photos of the ugliest dogs in the world. You can vote for the winner here.