Video: World's Ugliest Dog Wannabe Rallies Support at AnnaBee's

AnnaBee's Doggie Boutique and Cafe welcomed a very glamorous, budding and hideous competitor in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest Thursday: Cuda the Pitbull. 

The secret to Cuda the Pitbull's ugliness? Inbreeding.

And that's one of the reasons her owners, Julie and Scott LeRoy, are blazing a path to the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma for tonight's contest. 

In addition to seeking victory over the likes of Icky, a hellish version of a Chinese Crested, and Hercules, a one-eyed Pug, the LeRoys hope to bring awareness to the damage inbreeding in dog breeding can do.

The practice, said Julie, has become a problem at backyard breeding operations where she comes from - Durham, NC - and across the country. 

Sometimes breeders will mate dogs a little too close together genetically to rid a line of a disease or for certain disireable traits, but it can go wrong. And, in the case of Cuda, it did. 

At about half the size of a normal fully grown Pitbull, with a massive underbite and weak back legs much shorter than they should be plus an angled rib cage, Cuda is walking proof of the dangers of inbreeding among dogs. She is completely healthy, however, Julie said. 

Online voting in the World's Ugliest Dog Competition is closed, but anyone heading to can cast their vote, either in person or via text message. Currently, Cuda is in second place behind Icky.

The Sonoma-Marin Fair has been conducting the World's Ugliest Dog contest for 22 years. Past World’s Ugliest Dog winners have gone on to raise money and awareness for rescue animals.

The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest also included a Dog-Lover’s Festival and an Ugly is the New Beautiful Fashion Show in which models walk adoptable dogs from the Sonoma Humane Society.

Can't make it to the fair but want to show your support for Cuda and her owners' message about the negative impacts of inbreeding? Head to Cuda's Facebook page.