How ugly is your dog?

The North Carolina Pet Adoption League is having its own "ugly dog contest."

Send us your photo (JPEG only, please, and no files larger than 1 MB), along with the pet's name, by July 29.

We'll select a winner of a new retractable leash and notify him/her by e-mail.

Greensboro (N.C.) area residents only, please.

Rascal unseated as World's Ugliest Dog

Of course you remember how the Chinese crested pup who has single-handedly raised the bar for, er, canine inverse beauty by dominating the World's Ugliest Dog contest for the past few years. I honestly thought these guys would reign for years in the World's Ugliest Dog pageant. I was wrong!

Pabst, a boxer mix, edged out Rascal in the 2009 event, whose results were announced yesterday. Pabst and his hooman, Dane Andrew, get some bling:

Egstad won $1,600 from the Sonoma-Marin Fair for sweeping all three rounds ($100 for mutt class, $500 for runoff with the pedigree class winner, and $1,000 for World’s Ugliest Dog). This year sponsor House Of Dog upped the ante with another $1,000 in prize money, a table of “bling” that included collars, leashes, and bowls plus a year-round modeling contract that Pabst signed with his paw. Event Photographer Grace Chon included a professional photo shoot.

Here's a video wrap, courtesy of the Sonoma-Marin Fair (where the event's been held for the past 7 years):

Animal Planet also has some fun coverage, and will broadcast the show later this year.

Welcome to the official N.C. PAL blog!

Thank you for your interest!

Here we'll post news and updates of interest to all humans who love their pets, plus stories from our adopting families about their wonderful new additions. We plan to add updates frequently, so be sure to keep checking.

If you've adopted a pet through the N.C. Pet Adoption League, be sure to keep us updated, and we'll update the blog. Send us a picture, tell us what neat tricks or cute quirks your pet displays ... whatever you want to share!