Tuesday morning, beloved and newly famous dog Zsa Zsa passed away in her sleep, her owner, Megan Brainard, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Zsa Zsa, an English bulldog, won the World's Ugliest Dog competition in Petaluma, a city north of San Francisco, this past June.
With her protruding tongue, expressive eyes, and stocky stance, Zsa Zsa won the jury and the internet's hearts. She was awarded $1,500 and flown to New York in first class.
Here she is enjoying a Today show performance in New York's Rockefeller Center.
Zsa Zsa was rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri at 5 years old and subsequently adopted by her owner, Brainard, who discovered her on Petfinder.
Brainard told the Star that she named Zsa Zsa after Hungarian actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, because the bulldog laid around "like a beautiful model." She outfitted her with a pink collar and painted her nails for the competition.
Fans of Zsa Zsa mourned her passing and offered their condolences.
I was supposed to pet Zsa Zsa on Saturday. My family and I send our condolences to Zsa Zsa’s family. I am very sad to hear that she died. Zsa Zsa was adorable. 🐶❤️😢https://t.co/BvyBtx4msq
@IvePetThatDog i’m so sorry ❤️
"Zsa Zsa spent her days lounging around, refusing to do much of anything unless food was involved." SAME GURL, SAME. #RIPZSAZSA https://t.co/s6xcA5LfkM https://t.co/tR4kpxLCt8
@dog_rates @IvePetThatDog she was, as the saying goes, too beautiful for this world
RIP, Queen Zsa Zsa.
