World's
Ugliest Dog - Princess Abby sets world record
PETALUMA, Calif., USA -- "Princess Abby,"
a 4-year-old Chihuahua mix rescued by her owner (Kathleen
Francis of Clearlake, Calif.) from almost certain death,
won the title of the World's
Ugliest Dog at the 22nd annual event at the Marin-Sonoma
County Fair.
“She was going to be put to sleep because
she had so many physical problems,” Francis said. “I got her
just in time.”
“She’s my best friend. Abby’s done more
for me that I’ve done for her,” said Francis who recently
fell on hard times and works at a local department store for
minimum wage.
Princess Abby, (Abigail) Francis, a dog
with a gray, brown and black coat, the World's
Ugliest Dog, received $1,000 in cash and a modeling
contract with House of Dog in Los Angeles.
The four-year-old dog beat a rough-looking
slate of candidates for the prize, including Pabst, the teeth-bearing
boxer mix who won last year.
The judges were celebrity vet Karen
"Doc" Halligan, Vertical Horizon lead singer Matt Scannell,
"That 70's Show" actress Christina Moore and Sonoma-Marin
fair board member Brian Sobel.
Celebrity vet Karen "Doc" Halligan, one
of the contest's three judges, says the dog's oddly curved
back and legs and closed up left eye may be due to being inbred.
The Sonoma-Marin Fair has been conducting
this contest for 22 years and in the last four years has received
international attention for it.
The contest sponsor was House Of Dog
who provided the winner with another check for $1,000 and
a year round modeling contract. Karen “Doc” Halligan provided
vet checks for all of the contestants before the event.
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