The title of World's Ugliest Dog has been bestowed upon a new pooch.
Scooter, a seven-year-old Chinese crested, beat out seven other unsightly canines to take out the top spot at the competition in Petaluma, California, on Friday (local time).
The World's Ugliest Dog competition is a world-renowned event that promotes dog adoption and showcases extraordinary canines that have defied adversity. The top prize this year was US$1500 (NZ$2442) and a trophy.
With his sparse hair, a tongue that won't stay in his mouth, and ratlike tail, Scooter has overcome a lot in his seven years.
Scooter was born with hind legs that face backwards and there were fears he'd never be able to walk. When he was still a puppy, a breeder took him to animal control to have him euthanised.
But he was luckily adopted and can now walk with the aid of a specialised cart.
Scooter's owner Linda Elmquist, from Tucson, Arizona, said she was "overjoyed and incredibly proud" he'd won the World's Ugliest Dog contest.
"Despite the challenges he has faced with his deformed hind legs, Scooter has defied all odds and shown us the true meaning of resilience and determination," Elmquist said in a statement.
Scooter's other canine competitors included Wild Thang, a seven-year-old Pekingese with no teeth, and Rascal Deux, a "hairless mutant" with different-coloured eyes and a loose tongue.
The World's Ugliest Dog contest began in the 1970s when Ross Smith, a member of Petaluma’s Old Adobe Association, was thinking of new ways to raise money.
After a pet parade was replaced with a dog contest, Smith suggested it be an ugly dog contest and the idea has stuck ever since.
