The World's Ugliest Dog contest returned to central California on Friday (August 8), drawing hundreds to take a peek at some less than attractive canine friends.

Held at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California, the annual event highlights pet rescue shelters and promotes adopting dogs of all ages and appearances—even the oldest and most unconventional.

This year’s winners included Poppy, a 6-year-old Chinese Crested from Tbilisi, Georgia and Jinny Lu, a Pug. A pup named Petunia was crowned as the winner of the 2025 "World's Ugliest Dog".

Other non-winners included an 11.5-year-old dog named Merle Haggard from Long Beach, California.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 8, 2025) (Reuters - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF DOG NAMED 'ZOONIE' WITH OWNER

2. VARIOUS OF DOG NAMED 'PETUNIA' WITH OWNER

3. VARIOUS OF DOG NAMED 'MERLE HAGGARD' WITH OWNER

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MONICA POFFENHOLZ, 27, SANTA ROSA RESIDENT, SAYING:

"I loved Zoomie, Zoonie, I liked Zoonie and I liked Petunia and Truffles. Those were like my top three."

5. EMCEE ON STAGE KICKING OFF CONTEST

6. VARIOUS OF CROWD

7. EMCEE BRING THIRD PLACE WINNER, A DOG NAMED 'POPPY', ONSTAGE

8. VARIOUS OF ALLISON GREEN AND POPPY ONSTAGE

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLISON GREEN, 40, SAN RAFAEL RESIDENT AND OWNER OF POPPY, SAYING:

"This is Poppy. She's a 6-year-old Chinese crested. She's from Tbilisi, Georgia. Yeah, and she just won third place."

10. VARIOUS OF POPPY BEING HELD

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLISON GREEN, 40, SAN RAFAEL RESIDENT AND OWNER OF POPPY, SAYING:

"I think it's a nice validation of her unique style, but also, you know, validation that she's not the ugliest dog. But you know we just celebrate how cute and unique and wonderful she is."

12. VARIOUS OF GREEN ONSTAGE WITH POPPY

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLISON GREEN, 40, SAN RAFAEL RESIDENT AND OWNER OF POPPY, SAYING:

"Poppy thinks she's a person. She's a huge cuddle bug. She's always burrowing under covers or napping with us. She's really good at picking up my toddler's crumbs. So I really appreciate that, whenever the toddler throws stuff on the floor. So yeah, she's a lot of fun. She likes to sing. What else do you do? She likes to lay in the sun. Pretty chill pup."

14. OWNERS WITH DOGS

15. DOG NAMED 'JINNY LU'

16. VARIOUS OF EMCEE CALLING OUT FOR SECOND PLACE WINNER JINNY LU

17. MORE OF JINNY LU ONSTAGE

18. VARIOUS OF DOG NAMED 'MERLE HAGGARD' WITH OWNER ELIZABETH BURCHFIELD

19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELIZABETH BURCHFIELD, 42, LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND OWNER OF MERLE HAGGARD, SAYING:

"Yeah he's cute but at the same time he's a little ugly. So I think people like that. The tongue is always a plus. And yeah I think that's it. They just like his spicy little personality."

20. VARIOUS OF CROWD

21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELIZABETH BURCHFIELD, 42, LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND OWNER OF MERLE HAGGARD, SAYING:

"We're going to be back and avenge. We're going to avenge him. We're going to avenge this loss. This may have been rigged--we don't know. But yeah we're definitely going to come back and try again."

22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MONICA POFFENHOLZ, 27, SANTA ROSA RESIDENT, SAYING:

"I loved it. I think it is fantastic. I love that people come from all over the states and stuff. I think it's great."

23. VARIOUS OF THE WINNER, A DOG NAMED 'PETUNIA' BEING CROWNED