Zsa Zsa, the ‘World’s Ugliest Dog,’ dies at 9
The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)
The Pets and Vets service dog program at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation could get up to $500,000 from Purina Dog Chow, which has launched a two-prong campaign in support of ARF’s efforts to help veterans and rescue dogs.
Purina has a long history of supporting the U.S. military, and officials with the company said they know theimpactser v icedogscan have on the lives of veterans, providing them with stability and companionship as they readjust to civilian life.
The Dog Chow Service Dog Salute campaign will donate apor tion of proceeds from the sale of marked bags of Dog Chow Complete Adult with Chicken food, with up to $250,000 going to ARF.
Purina also is working with BuzzFeed to share the powerful stories of veter- ans and rescue dogs who have been brought together through ARF. Pet lovers are invited to watch the video https://bit.ly/2un9ydv, and fore ach unique video share Dog Chow will donate $1 — up to $250,000 — to ARF’s veterans program.
The campaign started July 4 and will run through Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11.
“Dog Chow has long been a supporter of our servicemen and women,” said Purina Dog Chow’s marketing director Arik Frankel in a written statement.
“Our partnership with ARF reflects our ongoing commitment to helping our American heroes and demonstrat- ing the powerful connection between dogs and their owners.”
When Purina’s founder, William Danforth, served during World War I, and when he founded Purina in1926,hecalledthebrand DogChowasasalutetothe military chowl inesthatk ept the soldiers going.
For the past 92 years, Purina has made food and monetary donations in support of veterans, and made acommitment tohi rema ny veterans.
The d onations from the Servic eD og Salute campaign will help fund the expansion of ARF’s groundbreaking veteransprogramtoreach even more veterans in need.
“Our veterans program changes lives and has already placed more than 600 animals with military families, including 45 potential service dogs in the past year,” said Elena Bicker, ARF’s executive director. “This generous support from Dog Chow will help us grow our pro- gram and continue to help save lives on both ends of the leash.”
Zsa Zsa the English bulldog, whose droopy tongue, protruding teeth and penchant for Slim Jims earned her fleeting moments of fame last month as the winner of the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, died Tuesday.
She was 9.
Her death was announced by her owner, Megan Brainard of Anoka, Minnesota, whosaidthedoghaddied in her sleep. She said Zsa Zsa had not been havin ga ny health issues. The average life expectancy for bulldogs, according to the American KennelClub,is8to10years.
Zsa Zsa’s life had modest beginnings. She spent the first five years in ap uppy mill in Missouri before she was put up for auction and bought by a rescue group.
After Brainard adopted her, Zsa Zsa spent her days lounging around, refusing to do much of anything unless food was involved. Her favor- it e snacks? A Slim Jim or a steak burrito from Chipotle.
But her life turned into a cross-country whirlwind after she won the World’s Ugliest Dog contest in Petaluma, California, on June 23.
Her family drove 30 hours from Minnesota to enter her in the contest, which is actually a celebration of unsightly dogs and is intended to promote pet adoption.
Zsa Zsa’s resume was tough to beat: a dry, dangling tongue. A severe underbite, with crooked teeth that almost touched her nose. A dose of drool.
Brainard said she had to carry the dog across the stage and entice her to impress the judges. “She was eating part of a S lim Jim on the table and just sneezed all over them and was drooling on them, ”shesaid.
In the end, Zsa Zsa bested 13 other dogs to seize the title.
After that, her life became as glamorous as that of Zsa Zsa Gabor , the actres s she was named for.
The bulldog sported a pink manicure. Fans wore T-shirts adorned with her face. She visited New York Cit y to appear on nat ional TV .S he even flew first class.
“I felt like I was traveling with Brad Pitt or something,” Brainard said. “People would be screaming her name. It was just crazy.”
In Zsa Zsa’s final weeks, Brainard said, the worl dg ot to lear n what she kne w all along: When you’re loved, looks don’t matter at all.