Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The winner of The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, Jinny Lu, took home the big prize in the annual and peculiar competition, which calls attention to the benefits of adopting rescue dogs.
The 50th Annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest was held at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California, on Friday with contestants from as far away as Poland.
Jinny Lu, a Pug rescuee, celebrated winning first place and is owned by Michelle Grady. Grady received a $5,000 prize.
Jinny Lu and Grady are from Ukiah, California.
Jinny Lu was rescued from the mountains in South Korea before being adopted and brought to California.
Pinky, an albino Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix, came in second place, and a Chihuahua mix named Otto went on to win third place.
Marcelina Kasprusz, who traveled from Poland with Clara, a 12-year-old Chinese Crested, said that they competed but the prize money wasn't the main incentive.
"If we inspire anyone here to adopt...we already won," Kasprusz told the Associated Press.
"We want to spread awareness and be an ambassador for dogs in Poland and across Europe that wait in the shelter and are forgotten and unwanted, yeah? Because all of them deserve to be loved," Kasprusz said.
- Story from The Associated Press
The winner of The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, Jinny Lu, took home the big prize in the annual and peculiar competition, which calls attention to the benefits of adopting rescue dogs.
The 50th Annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest was held at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California, on Friday with contestants from as far away as Poland.
Jinny Lu, a Pug rescuee, celebrated winning first place and is owned by Michelle Grady. Grady received a $5,000 prize.
Jinny Lu and Grady are from Ukiah, California.
Jinny Lu was rescued from the mountains in South Korea before being adopted and brought to California.
Pinky, an albino Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix, came in second place, and a Chihuahua mix named Otto went on to win third place.
Marcelina Kasprusz, who traveled from Poland with Clara, a 12-year-old Chinese Crested, said that they competed but the prize money wasn't the main incentive.
"If we inspire anyone here to adopt...we already won," Kasprusz told the Associated Press.
"We want to spread awareness and be an ambassador for dogs in Poland and across Europe that wait in the shelter and are forgotten and unwanted, yeah? Because all of them deserve to be loved," Kasprusz said.
- Story from The Associated Press
