A pug named Jinny Lu has been crowned World's Ugliest Dog for 2026, taking the title on her fourth attempt at the contest. The 6-year-old, who lives in Ukiah, California, with her owner Michelle Grady, won over eight other finalists in front of a judging panel that included the NBC News correspondent Gadi Schwartz, California state senator Mike McGuire and the veteran broadcaster Debbie Abrams.
The win came with a $5,000 prize and a trophy, and Jinny Lu's face will now appear on limited-edition Mug Root Beer cans, one of the contest's sponsors. She is also due to appear on the American television programme TODAY this week.
Jinny Lu's backstory is part of her appeal. She was found in a shack in the mountains of South Korea and, though rescuers initially described her as shy, she has since become what organisers call "a constant source of mischief and joy." She now visits elementary schools with other rescue pugs to teach children about pet adoption, and also visits patients in hospice and memory care facilities.
Second place went to a dog named Pinky, whose owner Laura Brown received $3,000. Jinny Lu succeeds last year's winner, Petunia, a hairless Frenchie and English Bulldog rescued from a breeder and hoarding situation, who underwent surgery to correct an elongated palate common in poorly bred bulldogs.
A tradition with a message
The contest has run for roughly half a century, organised by the Sonoma-Marin Agricultural Association in partnership with Mug Root Beer, and is intended to celebrate rescue dogs regardless of appearance. "This event has always been about celebrating the dogs that might otherwise be overlooked," the association's chief executive, Mandy Clendenen, said.
The organisers point to wider shelter statistics to make their case for adoption. According to the Best Friends Animal Society, an estimated 4.74 million dogs and cats entered US shelters in 2025, with around 209,000 dogs and 187,000 cats put down. Almost 4 million dogs and cats found homes last year, the group said, with 34,000 fewer animals killed in shelters than the year before.
Source: Yahoo/TODAY.com
