He Was Adopted From the Streets. He Just Won a Big Prize

Scamp the Tramp's looks have made him a winner—but it wasn't a beauty contest. The snaggle-haired, bug-eyed pooch took the top prize Friday at the 31st annual World's Ugliest Dog contest in Petaluma, Calif., the AP reports. Owner Yvonne Morones of Santa Rosa won an appearance with Scamp on the Today show, $1,500 in cash, another $1,500 to donate to an animal shelter, and bragging rights. Scamp, an adopted street dog, beat out 18 other contestants who showed off their droopy tongues, bowed legs, and other strange attributes.

Organizers say the contest isn't just skin-deep: It's also about bringing attention to the needs of rescue dogs. Most competitors were previously abandoned or rescued from kill shelters in the US. Nineteen contestants first walked the red carpet and preened for adoring fans at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in the heart of Northern California wine country. The winner gets $1,500, a trophy the size of a Rottweiler, and a future appearance on the Today show. Publicist Cindy Gentry says the competition is about bringing attention to the needs of rescue dogs. (More world's ugliest dog stories.)