Herding, obedience, protection, racing, hunting. The list goes on. What am I talking about? Canine competitions. For many pooch lovers, they’re quite a big deal. And our last story tonight is about one such recently held competition, a hunt for the world’s ugliest dog. Yes, it is a thing. And a dog named Scooter has raised its way to the top with its reversed hind legs and loose tongue. Scooter has not only won people’s hearts, but also $1 ,500 in prize money.
The question is, does a dog ugliness contest even serve a purpose? Sparse, mohawk -like hair with gravity -defying strands that stand high as if shoved. A rat -like tail, reversed legs, and a tongue that just won’t stay in his mouth. This is Scooter,
a real diamond in the rough. Pardon the pun. And now he has been crowned champion of the world’s ugliest dog contest. It’s a world -renowned competition held annually in California in the US for the past 50 years. Now, this contest may seem odd, but that’s the point. It celebrates imperfection and dogs who had been counted out for their appearance. So pooches come from far and wide to compete for the coveted title,
where they not only receive love and admiration, but also $1 ,500 as prize money. And sure, winning is exciting, even if it is in an ugly battle. But this contest is so much more. It promotes dog adoptions and showcases extraordinary canines who’ve defied adversity. Most of the dogs in this contest are rescues. Take Scooter for example. He’s seven years old and had a very tough life before he was adopted.
When he was a pup, his breeder wanted him euthanized because he had a birth defect. His hind legs faced backwards. This meant he would never be able to walk. But that wasn’t to be. Scooter was rescued. He found a good home. And with the help of therapy and a specialized cart, he’s now able to move. According to judges, it was Scooter’s determination that gave him an edge. But the fact is, most of these canine participants share a similar troubled history. So Prince came in from the desert and was involved in a fight for food and he was the runt so he got attacked here.
So he’s only got one eye. So he’s missing this eye here. And one of his ears never really sticks up. And he’s got this really long tongue. So those are kind of his distinctive ugly features. And he loves belly rubs, as you can tell. This is Harold Bartholomew. He’s at least 17 year old Chihuahua.
A little rescue. He was actually dumped in a park. And he was supposed to be on hospice. They didn’t think he was going to last long. And I adopted him and I’ve had him for close to two years now. Wow. Jenny Lu from the Pug Rescue. Now dogs may be a man’s best friend, but this friendship seems like a one -way street. Across the world, pets are being abandoned. Germany has the most number of homeless dogs, followed by UK and the US. India has a staggering 60 million homeless dogs.
A number of these canines are euthanized. And even if they aren’t abandoned, dogs are subjected to cruelty. They are starved, burnt and even raped. But despite this, canines remain a popular choice for pets. And to give you an idea, the global pet market is valued at 260 billion dollars, worth more than the solar and wind energy sectors combined. But more than humans, this costs the pets. Most people go to breeders to buy a dog,
whose supply comes from puppy mills, which are plagued by high mortality rates for the young. And mothers are kept perpetually pregnant. Then they are discarded. Pedigreed animals are plagued by health problems. Because they have genetics similar to off springs of siblings. And this is where the world’s ugliest dog contest comes in. It shows people how they can save a life. And do their bit to walk away from backyard breeding. Because the dogs may look ugly on the outside,
but it is through no fault of their own. And they can still be man’s best friend. It’s huge, just being able to put it out there that you don’t have to get an adorable little puppy. These guys have so much love to give. So think about it. As they say, adopt, don’t shop and save a friend’s life.