Scary-Looking Peanut Is Leading 'World's Ugliest Dog' in Petaluma; Online Voting Ends Thursday Night

Little Peanut, scarred and deformed from hardships he endured as a puppy, is leading the online voting for the World's Ugliest Dog® -- the popular contest staple at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma.

Peanut's hobbies are "curling up on plushy dog beds, playing with all of his toys at one time, and trying to beat up his Pomeranian brother, Tucker," according to his bio.

And, to be sure, he has some ugly competition, 22 other dogs in all, including: Quasi Modo, who was dumped at a shelter with birth defects of the spine; splotchy Faith, a 7-year-old Jack Russell Terrier with an autoimmune disease; and 13-year-old rescue Willie Bean Walker, AKA Piggie, with a snaggle-tooth grin that only a ... well ... you look at the photos.
 
And then there is Rascal of Sunnyvale. With his crooked face and "Einstein hair," Rascal is the 2002 World's Ugliest Dog winner and "Ring of Champions" title holder -- coming back to "challenge the ugliest of the ugly." 

Rascal, owned by actor Dane Andrew, has appeared in movies, TV shows and is a sought after "celebrity guest" at animal-awareness functions throughout the United States and Canada.

Contest organizers say the many of the contestant dogs are rescues from shelters and puppy mills, and the annual affair raises awareness for adoption of dogs, showing that even those with physical shortcomings make loving companions.  

This online voting is just for fun, meanwhile, and is conducted as a "popular vote" only. 

The official winner of the Official Ugly Dog Contest will be determined by a panel of judges Friday at 6 p.m. at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. 

To see the gallery of this year's canine contenders, follow this link. Online voting closes tonight -- Thursday -- at 10 p.m.