NEW YORK, June 23: Wild Thang, an eight-year-old Pekingese from Coos Bay, Oregon, has been crowned the winner of the 2024 World's Ugliest Dog competition. The event took place at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, featuring eight contestants, most of whom were rescue dogs from shelters.

This victory marks Wild Thang's first win after competing five times in previous competitions. His distinctive appearance is due to a case of canine distemper he contracted at 10 weeks old, which prevented his teeth from growing and caused a muscular disorder in one of his legs.

The World's Ugliest Dog competition, held for nearly 50 years, aims to "celebrate the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique," according to its website. Wild Thang and his owner, Ann Lewis, received $5,000 and an appearance on NBC's The Today Show.

The second-place winner was Rome, a 14-year-old pug in a wheelchair, who received a $3,000 prize. Rome's owner, Michelle Grady, expressed her appreciation for the competition, stating, "I love that [the competition] represents dogs that are imperfect — imperfectly perfect."

Daisy May, a 14-year-old mixed-breed rescue dog with a white coat, secured third place and a $2,000 prize. Rescued from the streets at two years old, Daisy May has lost her hair, teeth, and vision. Her owner, Elizabeth Whitehouse, was surprised by their podium finish, saying, "I thought that she would be the most beautiful ugly dog, but as it turns out, other people don't see the beauty in her that I do."

Online voting allowed fans to select the People's Choice Award winner, which also went to Rome, the judges' runner-up.

The annual contest, which included Chihuahua mixes, Chinese Crested mixes, and Pug mixes this year, emphasizes the importance of adopting all animals. It aims to highlight that these "ugly" dogs are truly beautiful and to encourage the adoption of less conventional pets.

Notable participants included Freddie Mercury, a rescue who made his debut this year and serves as a mascot for Petaluma's local ice cream truck. Despite not winning a prize, Fred remains a popular figure, attending youth football games and birthday parties.

Judges for the competition included NBC News correspondent Gadi Schwartz, human rights advocate Linda Witong Abrahm, and California's 34th Treasurer, Fiona Ma.