The world’s ugliest dog has died, according to The Huffington Post. Eight year old Elwood, from New Jersey, won the title as The World’s Ugliest Dog in 2007. The so-called comely dog was a Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix with a very long tongue that stuck out of his mouth on the side. With his dark skin, tiny hairless body, white furred mohawk and large ears he was sometimes referred to as Yoda or E.T., two beloved science fiction characters/icons. On Thanksgiving morning he was found unexpectedly dead due to recent health issues, but he appeared to be okay up until then.
Little Elwood won the crown as the World’s Ugliest Dog in the annual California Sonoma-Marin County Fair’s ugliest dog competition. He had placed second just one year before. Karen Quigley, his owner, decided to care for him after she rescued him in 2005 when he was only nine months old. He was going to be put down because it was believed that he was just too ugly to sell. Ironically, the ugly little dog made his way into thousands of generous hearts.
The dog may have been crowned as ugly, but online he gathered many loving fans from all over the world. His celebrity clout garnered him appearances at more than two hundred charitable events and he helped raise “hundreds of thousands of dollars” for “animal rescue groups and non-profit animal organizations.” He even inspired Quigley to write a book titled “Everyone Loves Elwood,” about acceptance, tolerance, love, compassion and perseverance. The book also encouraged the practice of kindness towards animals.
Maybe Elwood was ugly to some, but he most certainly was surrounded by a lot of love in his lifetime. Quigley commented, “He made people smile, he made them laugh and feel good. It was wonderful. He will truly be missed.”
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