World's Ugliest Dog, Miss Ellie, Dies at 17

Jun 3rd 2010

Miss Ellie, the World's Ugliest Dog 2009, passed away at the ripe old age of 17, reports USA Today's Paw Print Post.

The Chinese crested hairless might not have looked like a million bucks, but she had a heart of pure gold. The odd-looking pup was a big time fundraiser for the Sevier County Humane Society in Sevierville, Tenn., raising over $100,000 for the organization. In fact, she even had her own day: November 12 is "Miss Ellie Day" in her hometown of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., AOL News reports.

Other claims to fame include a few starring roles at Pigeon Forge's Comedy Barn and an appearance on Animal Planet's "Dogs 101," according to Paw Print Post. As the winner of Animal Planet's 2009 World's Ugliest Dog Competition, Miss Ellie had been scheduled to compete in the 2010 competition next month.

Our hearts go out to Miss Ellie's owner, Dawn Goehring, who brought Miss Ellie to live with her and 13 other rescue dogs when the pooch was 7 years old. Coping with the death of a beloved pet is difficult, but we hope it helps Goehring to know that people the world over are mourning the loss of Miss Ellie along with her.

It also looks like people will be remembering Miss Ellie for some time to come. The Mountain Press reports that Goehring plans to raise money to build a new animal shelter in Miss Ellie's honor.

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