World's Ugliest Dog Contest

Gus's owners say they plan to spend the prize money on cancer treatment

A three-legged, one-eyed, cancer-afflicted dog named Gus has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog at a fair in California.

Gus, a Chinese Crested dog, beat allcomers to take the title at the Sonoma-Marin Fair.

Owner Jeanenne Teed, from Florida, said she would spend the $1,600 prize on treatment for Gus's skin cancer.

The competition has been running for 20 years, and is one of the fair's top attractions, organisers said.

Vicki DeArmon, marketing director of the fair, said that in the past few years, winners had been dogs that had been abandoned or neglected before being adopted by dog-lovers.

"They may look hard to love, but apparently they are not. I've never seen dogs better cared for," she added.

Gus was rescued from a bad home.

One of his legs was amputated as a consequence of his skin tumour.

He lost an eye to a tomcat in a fight.

Ugliest dog show

YOUR PICTURE GALLERY IS NOW LOADING...

Twelve contenders vied for the title of the World¢s Ugliest Dog at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, in California.

Organisers said winners were often animals that had been abandoned or neglected before being adopted by people who love dogs.

In this, the 20th year of the contest - there was fierce competition.

A popular look seemed to involve a lolling tongue, offset by flyaway strands of hair.

Chinese Crested dogs dominated the line-up.

The overall winner was a Chinese Crested named Gus - a three-legged, one-eyed cancer sufferer.

His owners plan to use their prize money to pay for Gus to have cancer treatment.

*