A New Reign in the Canine Kingdom
Step aside, beauty pageants, there’s a new competition that’s stealing the limelight! The quirky yet captivating World’s Ugliest Dog contest has announced its 2023 winner: meet Scooter, a 7-year-old hairless Chinese Crested pup1.
Scooter: The World’s Ugliest Dog Winner
This unconventional event, held annually for almost half a century, is a heartwarming testament to the importance of pet adoption.
Many of the participating dogs have been rescued from shelters and puppy mills, and this contest serves to raise awareness and support for pets yet to find their forever homes1.
The Inspiring Story of Scooter
Scooter’s journey to fame is nothing short of a miracle. Born with deformed back legs, his joints and legs are backward, a condition that led him to be turned over to animal control in Tucson for euthanasia by a breeder when he was just a pup.
His fate took a turn for the better when the Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE) rescue group stepped in, saving him from a grim future.
Scooter was initially adopted by a man within the SAFE rescue group and lived with him for about seven years.
During this time, Linda Celeste Elmquist, another member of the group, frequently checked on Scooter and took him to medical appointments. When the man was unable to continue caring for Scooter, Elmquist adopted him, providing him with a loving home for the past seven months1.
Despite his disability, Scooter has always been an embodiment of resilience. From a young age, he has walked on his front legs, sitting on his back legs to rest, in a sort of tripod stance. And although his bathroom habits might be unconventional, Scooter’s spirit remains unbroken1.
In a recent development, Scooter was provided with a cart by a physical therapist. After some adjustment period, the cart has significantly improved his mobility, allowing him to move faster and explore his surroundings like never before1.
Scooter: The Pup with a Big Heart
According to Elmquist, Scooter, despite his deformity, is just like any other dog.
He enjoys simple pleasures like the taste of braunschweiger sausage and the comfort of a warm lap. Scooter’s triumph in the competition was celebrated by NBC’s Gadi Schwartz, one of the judges, who described Scooter as a source of “love and inspiration” that can change the perception of “ugly”.
The crown of the World’s Ugliest Dog was previously held by Mr. Happy Face, a hairless Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix in 2022, who had also been adopted from a shelter in Arizona after being rescued from a hoarder’s house1.
The World’s Ugliest Dog competition, while playfully celebrating the unconventional beauty of dogs like Scooter, serves a much deeper purpose. It shines a spotlight on the importance of adoption, highlighting that every dog, regardless of its appearance or physical conditions, deserves a loving home.
