A pug rescued from the dog meat trade in South Korea has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog.
Jinny Lu claimed the unusual title at the 2026 World's Ugliest Dog Contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Santa Rosa, California.
The annual event has now been running for 50 years and aims to celebrate dogs with unique appearances rather than simply "making fun of ugly dogs."
Organisers describe the contest as being about "having fun with some wonderful characters."
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Jinny Lu's story made her victory even more special after she was rescued from the dog meat trade in South Korea.
The pug is known for "arguing" with her own reflection, according to the contest organisers.
Her owner, Michelle Grady, collected the $5,000 prize, worth around £3,700.
"She absolutely loves competition, meeting everyone, and everything the event stands for," Michelle said.
Jinny Lu has also become an advocate for animal adoption since being rescued.
"Jinny Lu has been going into schools with some of her other rescue pug friends to teach kids about the importance of adopting pets," organisers said.
"She has also brought joy to hospice patients and people in memory care facilities."
The World's Ugliest Dog contest has been held annually at the Sonoma-Marin Fair since 1970 and has become a celebration of rescue dogs and pets with distinctive features.
While the title may sound harsh, the competition's organisers stress that the event is intended to promote compassion, responsible pet ownership and adoption.
