Scooter, a 7-year-old Chinese crested dog, wowed the judges on Friday by winning the “ugliest dog in the world” award.

But there was a time when Scooter, whose tongue hangs out of his mouth and is bald except for a few tufts of hair on his head, would never have competed.

Born with two deformed hind legs that prevented him from walking, he was about to be euthanized. But a Saving Animals from Euthanasia (SAFE) volunteer brought him back from animal control in Tucson, Arizona, according to Scooter’s biography on the World’s Ugliest Dog website.

Scooter now lives in Tucson with her owner, Linda Elmquist, who is another SAFE volunteer.

“I am thrilled and incredibly proud,” Elmquist said in a statement. “Despite the challenges he faced with his deformed hind legs, Scooter defied all odds and showed us the true meaning of resilience and determination. He became an inspiration to countless people to worldwide.

While it seems like the contest is meant to make fun of dogs, it’s the exact opposite.

It’s about celebrating each dog’s uniqueness and imperfections. He also advocates the adoption of dogs of all shapes and sizes.

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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Do you have any advice? Tell us at nj.com/tips.