For Pekingese Wild Thang, and his owner Ann Lewis, winning the title of “World’s Ugliest Dog” is not an insult but an honor. The pup hailing from Coos Bay, Oregon, is the 2024 winner of the annual World’s Ugliest Dog competition, which took place on Friday, June 21, at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] According to the contest’s website, the event—which has been running since 1988—is “not about making fun of ‘ugly’ dogs, but having fun with some wonderful characters and showing the world that these dogs are really beautiful.” The 8-year old dog, whose tongue perpetually hangs out of his mouth, went home with a $5,000 check and a trip to New York City, which is set to be featured on NBC’s Today show on Monday, June 24.