June 3) -- Miss Ellie, the small, scraggly-faced pooch who was
dubbed the "World's Ugliest Dog" in a 2009 Animal Planet contest,
has died at the age of 17.
The Chinese crested hairless never won "best in show," but she was
nonetheless a showbiz pro who proved to be a handsome asset for
animal shelters, helping them raise thousands of dollars with her
appearances.
In her hometown of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Miss Ellie is regarded
as somewhat of a hero. The Associated Press reports that she
helped raise more than $100,000 for the local humane society. And
this week, Pigeon Forge Mayor Keith Whaley designated Nov. 12 as
"Miss Ellie Day" to celebrate her good deeds.
Miss Ellie's death "was not unexpected, even though she had been
doing well," her owner, Dawn Goehring, told The Mountain Press in
Pigeon Forge.
Miss Ellie got her showbiz start at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge
and had made it big by the time she died. Her mug has appeared on
billboards and in commercials, and she was even featured on Fox
News.
Although she was blind in recent years, Miss Ellie never slowed
down. According to The Mountain Press, Goehring entered her in a
"Beauty and the Beast" contest in Tennessee just last
week.