Animal shelter calls him the "World's Ugliest Dog" – but then the floods of angry comments roll in

Jackson, Missouri - A sad little rescue dog who was neglected by his former owner has been given the inglorious title of the "World's Ugliest Dog." Commenters aren't loving the name, however...

Joiner the dog's initial condition (left) has improved and now a T-shirt protects his scabby skin (right.)
Joiner the dog's initial condition (left) has improved and now a T-shirt protects his scabby skin (right.)  © Collage: Screenshots/Facebook/Mac's Mission

The animal welfare organization Mac's Mission rescued a neglected 10-year-old Shih Tzu named Joiner.

"He was absolutely covered in fleas, with painful scabs across his body, especially around his neck, where it looked like a collar had once been," a representative told Newsweek.

"It was clear he had been neglected for far too long."

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To gain attention for the pup, the rescue posted a picture of Joiner on Facebook and listed the nicknames he had been given by employees so far – including "World's Ugliest Dog."

"Live from the 'Flea-bitten & Fabulous' Awards Show, somewhere between a Waffle House and destiny…Meet our glorious, scruffy underdog CHAMPION: Sir Crustopher von Itchybottom – or Crusty for short," they mercilessly roasted in the caption.

"Once roaming the streets like a mangy wizard cursed by an evil flea queen, Crusty was found looking like he had lost a battle with a vacuum cleaner and possibly a thundercloud," they continued. Oof, that's harsh!

"His skin? Falling off like a bad magic trick. His fur? Held together by hope and maybe static electricity. His vibe? Pure chaotic goblin energy."

The organization definitely achieved its goal, as the post received thousands of likes within a very short time.

Other nicknames, such as "Crusty" and "Crustopher," caused heated exchanges in the comments section, however, as users balked at the post making fun of the suffering pup.

"We used his funny nicknames to share his story on social media – and guess what? The world noticed," the rescue representative told Newsweek.

"His post sparked a big conversation and, most importantly, gave this scruffy sweetheart the attention he deserves," they added.

The organization continues to search for a new home for Joiner via Facebook, reiterating that he is not actually ugly and that they were simply being silly.

Cover photo: Screenshot/Facebook/Mac's Mission

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