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Petunia, a hairless bulldog mix, is cared for by Luvable Dog Rescue in Eugene. Her victory marks the second year in a row that an Oregon dog has won the ugliest dog title.
Eugene is home to the world’s ugliest dog.
Petunia, a 2-year-old English-French bulldog mix cared for by Eugene’s Luvable Dog Rescue, bested nine other canine competitors to win the 2025 World’s Ugliest Dog contest Friday, Aug. 8, at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif.
The dog and her handler, rescue volunteer Shannon Nyman, traveled to New York City to celebrate the win Monday live on the Today Show.
“She’s a mix between Yoda, she’s a mix between a hippo, a bat — she’s got it all,” NBC News correspondent Gadi Schwartz, one of four judges in the annual contest, said of Petunia on the program.
Petunia received a $5,000 prize and will soon be featured on limited-edition cans of Mug Root Beer. Her victory marks the second straight year that a dog from Oregon has won the title. Last year’s victor, an 8-year-old Pekinese named Wild Thang, hailed from North Bend.
Luvable Dog rescued Petunia in May from a backyard breeder in Las Vegas who was hoarding more than 50 dogs, according to the Today Show.
When she arrived in Eugene, Petunia received surgery to correct her difficulty breathing and elongated soft palate — symptoms of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, or BOAS, which is seen in dogs with compact snouts like English and French bulldogs, pugs and Boston terriers.
She also receives daily coconut oil treatments for her hairless skin, per the Today Show. Her breeder claimed to sell “hypoallergenic” French bulldogs, Luvable Dog Rescue said in a Facebook post in June, which was seeking to raise funds for the pup’s BOAS surgery.
“Petunia … loves all people and other dogs, and deserves to have a long and healthy life,” the post reads.
Nyman said on the Today Show that Petunia is “feeling great,” enjoying the attention and affection she has received during the contest.
The contest has been going for nearly 50 years, according to the Sonoma-Marin Fair’s website. It aims to promote the “adoration of all animals,” especially the many contestant dogs who come from shelters and puppy mills.
“For a few days, the word ugly takes on a whole new meaning,” Schwartz said. “It means lovable, it means second chances, and dare I say, so hideously cute.”
Luvable Dog Rescue didn’t immediately return a request for comment from Lookout Eugene-Springfield. Nyman couldn’t be reached for comment.
Petunia has been spayed, microchipped, and is up to date on vaccines, according to Luvable Dog Rescue. She will be available for adoption through the rescue after she has fully recovered, the rescue said in June.
