Ugly has never looked so good: New World’s Ugliest Dog crowned at Sonoma-Marin Fair

In front of a roaring crowd Friday night at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, on an elegant red carpet and surrounded by pup-arazzi, this year’s World’s Ugliest Dog was crowned.

A total of eight dogs competed in this year’s event, many with wags-to-riches stories to share, but the honor ultimately went to three-time runner-up Wild Thang the Pekingese, as first reported by The Press Democrat.

Bulging eyes, ragged fur, crooked teeth, tongues with lives of their own; it was the cutest kind of ugly. Some were lucky to have fur and two fully functional eyes, some not so fortunate.

Nonetheless, the adoration they got from the crowd was overwhelming.

Ann Lewis, Wild Thang’s owner, made the jaunt south from North Bend, Oregon, for the fifth time. But winning is not why Lewis keeps making the trip to Petaluma.

“We make the 440-mile trip every year because we enjoy this. Regardless of who wins, this contest is for a good cause,” Lewis said before the winner was announced.

The eight dogs took to the stage to flaunt their perfect imperfections at the fairgrounds. Most of the contestants live in California, with only Wild Thang and Wild Ziggy Devito, from New Jersey, bringing their out-of-state ugliness to the competition.

While the spotlight shined brightest on the canines, the dogs’ caretakers were also applauded for embodying the event’s overarching advocacy for pet rescue and adoption.

Rome, a 14-year-old pug, the runner-up and winner of the People’s Choice award, was rescued by the Pug Hotel in Rohnert Park. They have provided Rome with medical care and now he spends his senior years visiting hospice patients and schoolchildren.

A five-judge panel primarily made up of prominent Bay Area personalities, including Petaluma native and sports writer Amy Gutierrez, got to help decide who would take home this year’s trophy and $1,500 cash prize.

Amy Gutierrez, better known as Amy G, said she was particularly excited that Wild Thang won.

“He was my first pick, so I am really happy. I have not seen a dog that looks like it could be a Roomba as well,” she said. “I do have to say, as far as ugly goes, he is pretty cute.”

The quirky and world-famous event has headlined the Sonoma-Marin Fair for nearly half a century, and “celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique,” according to the fair’s website.

While the contest is all in good fun — and worth some unique bragging rights, the fair’s operators didn’t throw the local reporters and photographers who typically cover the contest each year a bone.

The Press Democrat and other outlets did not have access after the contest to interview Ann Lewis and Wild Thang and the other top finishers, though fair officials earlier Friday assured the press that such access would be granted.

It was a surprise change from past years’ policy.

Sonoma-Marin Fair Board President Michael Parks told The Press Democrat on Friday night as the contest was underway the cash prizes for contest winners were conditioned on NBC’s “Today” show running an exclusive first interview live Monday.

Prize money could be forfeited otherwise, he said.

The 4th District Agricultural Association, helmed by a local board of directors, operates the Sonoma-Marin Fair. The association is a public governmental body — its representatives chosen by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.