<p>Quasi Modo, a dog who looks like a hyena and has spinal birth defects that have left him hunchbacked, has won the title of the 'World's Ugliest Dog' for epitomising "excellence in ugliness".<br /><br /></p>.<p>Quasi Modo, the 10-year-old pit bull-Dutch shepherd mix dog from Loxahatcheee, Florida, won the USD 1,500 prize this year against a field of 26 other candidates.<br /><br />After much deliberation, worthy of a national beauty contest, and tabulation by an independent auditor, Quasi Modo, who looks like a hyena to some, was selected because he "epitomised excellence in ugliness", according to Chief Judge Brian Sobel.<br /><br />More than 500 spectators clapped and cheered as the 27 underdogs proudly walked the red carpet and strutted their stuff across the stage in Petaluma, California, on Friday.<br /><br />The judges score the dogs on first impressions, unusual attributes, natural ugliness, personality and audience impression, according to the event's website.<br /><br />"We aren't interested in lineage, it's the inner beauty and personality that shine in our World's Ugliest Dog contest," Karen Spencer, marketing director for Sonoma-Marin Fair, which organises the event, was quoted as saying by CNN.<br /><br />The first runner-up was Sweepee Rambo, a Chinese crested Chihuahua, who takes pride in her soft freckled skin and blond mohawk.<br /><br />The second runner-up was Frodo, a 12.5-year-old Chinese crested hairless-Chihuahua mix from Sparks, Nevada, who loves to be bossy, according to his official biography.<br /><br />As many of the homely hounds, including this year's ugliest, come from shelters and puppy mills, the contest aims to encourage adoption of dogs regardless of their physical shortcomings.<br /><br />Quasi Modo's owner found him at an animal shelter, according to his biography on the contest's website.<br /><br />"Luckily, one of the veterinarians there saw the sparkle in my eyes and took me home," his biography said.<br /><br />He has multiple birth defects to his spine and his back is too short for the rest of his body.<br /><br />"In spite of this I still run, play and enjoy life to the fullest," Quasi Modo's bio said.<br />"My appearance can be a little unsettling to some (I have had grown men jump on top of their cars to get away from me because they thought I was a hyena or Tasmanian devil) but once they get to know me I win them over with my bubbly personality," it said.<br /><br />The Spirit Award was presented to Precious, an 8-year-old Chihuahua from Petaluma, for visiting disabled veterans with her owner. Precious has a "sight issue" from the vet putting wrong drops in her eye as a puppy, according to her bio.<br /><br />The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, is in its 27th year. </p>
<p>Quasi Modo, a dog who looks like a hyena and has spinal birth defects that have left him hunchbacked, has won the title of the 'World's Ugliest Dog' for epitomising "excellence in ugliness".<br /><br /></p>.<p>Quasi Modo, the 10-year-old pit bull-Dutch shepherd mix dog from Loxahatcheee, Florida, won the USD 1,500 prize this year against a field of 26 other candidates.<br /><br />After much deliberation, worthy of a national beauty contest, and tabulation by an independent auditor, Quasi Modo, who looks like a hyena to some, was selected because he "epitomised excellence in ugliness", according to Chief Judge Brian Sobel.<br /><br />More than 500 spectators clapped and cheered as the 27 underdogs proudly walked the red carpet and strutted their stuff across the stage in Petaluma, California, on Friday.<br /><br />The judges score the dogs on first impressions, unusual attributes, natural ugliness, personality and audience impression, according to the event's website.<br /><br />"We aren't interested in lineage, it's the inner beauty and personality that shine in our World's Ugliest Dog contest," Karen Spencer, marketing director for Sonoma-Marin Fair, which organises the event, was quoted as saying by CNN.<br /><br />The first runner-up was Sweepee Rambo, a Chinese crested Chihuahua, who takes pride in her soft freckled skin and blond mohawk.<br /><br />The second runner-up was Frodo, a 12.5-year-old Chinese crested hairless-Chihuahua mix from Sparks, Nevada, who loves to be bossy, according to his official biography.<br /><br />As many of the homely hounds, including this year's ugliest, come from shelters and puppy mills, the contest aims to encourage adoption of dogs regardless of their physical shortcomings.<br /><br />Quasi Modo's owner found him at an animal shelter, according to his biography on the contest's website.<br /><br />"Luckily, one of the veterinarians there saw the sparkle in my eyes and took me home," his biography said.<br /><br />He has multiple birth defects to his spine and his back is too short for the rest of his body.<br /><br />"In spite of this I still run, play and enjoy life to the fullest," Quasi Modo's bio said.<br />"My appearance can be a little unsettling to some (I have had grown men jump on top of their cars to get away from me because they thought I was a hyena or Tasmanian devil) but once they get to know me I win them over with my bubbly personality," it said.<br /><br />The Spirit Award was presented to Precious, an 8-year-old Chihuahua from Petaluma, for visiting disabled veterans with her owner. Precious has a "sight issue" from the vet putting wrong drops in her eye as a puppy, according to her bio.<br /><br />The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, is in its 27th year. </p>