Zsa Zsa, The 'World's Ugliest Dog' Dies In Sleep

Zsa Zsa, who won the title "World's Ugliest Dog” last month, passed away in her sleep Tuesday morning, her owner, Megan Brainard confirmed.

"She’s been staying over at my dad’s house. He woke up this morning and found her passed away," Brainard told TODAY adding "I’m still in shock ... It’s kind of like when she won (the World's Ugliest Dog contest). It’s been two weeks and I still don’t believe it. It’s probably going to be the same with her passing.”

Zsa Zsa was given a proper farewell by Brainard and her 15-month-old daughter Mareslie. "I picked Zsa Zsa up and took her outside and laid her down in the grass. We were all saying our goodbyes and Mareslie went right over and gave her a kiss. It was sweet. She was waving at her," the owner said.

The 9-year-old English bulldog from Anoka, Minnesota, got noticed for her muscular, rounded front legs, slobbery tongue, squished-in face and sparkly pink collar.

The pooch won the annual contest on June 23 and the owner was awarded $1,500 for the win.

“She was eating part of a Slim Jim on the table and just sneezed all over them and was drooling on them,” the dog owner had said adding she had to carry the dog across the stage during the show.

Zsa Zsa and her owner flew down to New York for an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show after the win. She had fans wearing T-shirts adorned with her face.

“I felt like I was traveling with Brad Pitt or something, people would be screaming her name. It was just crazy,” Brainard said while speaking about her dog’s glamorous life, the New York Times reported.

"She knew she was special. She never really showed much excitement but yes, she was definitely living it up after she won," Brainard said, adding "We take millions of pictures in my family, so now we have her face everywhere to remind us of her.”

According to her profile for the event, “Zsa Zsa was a puppy mill dog for 5 years in Missouri, and instead of placing her in a loving home at her end of breeding; she was put in a dog auction and was purchased by Underdog Rescue.”

“Her mother saw her beautiful picture on pet finder and HAD TO HAVE HER! She now lives out her retired life in Anoka, MN,” the profile said.

The dog was named after actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, as she enjoyed sitting on the couch "like a beautiful model,” Star tribune reported.

“She is just so ugly, she’s beautiful,” the proud pet owner had said.

The World's Ugliest Dog contest has dogs with hairless bodies and lolling tongues flaunt their imperfections for the crown. The dogs try to entice the judges by walking down the red carpet along with their owners.

The annual contest attempts to promote shelter adoption for dogs.