Petunia, a two-year-old hairless English-French bulldog, claimed the prestigious title of World’s Ugliest Dog after winning the 50th annual competition at the Sonoma County Fair.
From Eugene, Oregon, Petunia and her owner Shannon Nyman claimed a $5,000 prize on August 8.
If bragging rights weren’t enough, Petunia will appear on limited-edition cans of Mug Root Beer, the contest’s sponsor, and has now appeared on the Today show.
The life of the World's Ugliest Dog
This year’s competition was tough, with Petunia needing to out-ugly 10 other dogs, including eight-year-old Chinese Crested, and a 13-year-old chihuahua.
While Petunia now lives a happy life, she has a difficult backstory. She was born to "the chaos of a backyard breeder and hoarder" in Las Vegas, Shannon told the New York Times, and was brought to Oregon by Luvable Dog Rescue.
After being rescued, she underwent a spay and surgery to correct an elongated palate, which had been making it difficult for her to breathe.
She is described as a “gentle soul who adores other dogs, cats and people.”