PETALUMA, Calif. (AP) – He’s overweight and has a birth defect that left him a bit hunchbacked.
Quasi Modo is a 10-year-old pit bull-Dutch shepherd mix who was leading the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, with nearly 10,000 votes by Friday. He was far ahead of No. 2 Morris, a mix who looks a little like a pig with a spiky haircut and has garnered more than 5,000 votes.
The two are among 27 dogs vying for the title of homeliest hound, which has been given to a pooch in the small California coastal town of Petaluma for decades.
Dogs have arrived from as far as Florida, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona to compete in a contest that applauds imperfections.
It will award $1,500 to the winner Friday night at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds.