Peanut Takes Lead In 'World's Ugliest Dog' Contest At Sonoma-Marin Fair
PETULMA (CBS SF) -- Ugly is in the eye of the beholder -- especially when judging these 29 dogs who are heading to the Petaluma Fairgrounds Friday evening for the annual Sonoma-Marin Fair's Ugly Dog Contest.
A dog named "Peanut" will likely be crowned as winner with nearly 1,800 online votes.
Peanut was in an animal shelter for nine months before he found a home.
"While his face has scared away many, it has melted my heart," his owner said online.
"Don't let his teeth scare you! He isn't growling. He is smiling, because of his hardships as a puppy," his owner said.
"Quasi Modo", who was also rescued from a shelter, is running in second place behind Peanut with 671 votes.
Quasi suffered multiple birth defects to his spine, his owner said. His back is too short for the rest of his body, but he still runs, jumps and plays and enjoys life to the fullest.
A panel of judges will pick the 2014 Ugliest Dog on Friday. The online vote ended Thursday night.
Karen Spencer, the fair's marketing director, said 29 entries are vying for the top prize of $1,500 and a 4-foot trophy this year.
Dog owners have traveled from North Carolina, Georgia and Florida to compete. The popular online vote is just for fun because the results can too easily be skewed, Spencer said.
One of the criteria the judges will consider is the pooch's personality.
The judges are Brian Sobel, a member of the fair board, San Francisco Giants' in-game television reporter Amy Gutierrez, and television and film celebrity Cameron Mathison of Good Morning America and Dancing With the Stars.
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