Zsa Zsa, the English bulldog from Anoka that made headlines around the world last month after winning the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest, died early Tuesday morning.
Megan Brainard, Zsa Zsa's owner, said the 9-year-old dog died in her sleep.
The canine won the hearts of people with her slobbery tongue, squished-in face and sparkly pink collar.
After winning the annual contest in California, Zsa Zsa and her entourage flew to New York for an appearance on NBC's "Today Show."
Zsa Zsa was rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri when she was 5 years old and adopted a year later by Brainard, who saw the bulldog's photo on the website PetFinder.com.
Brainard said she named the pooch after Hungarian actress Zsa Zsa Gabor because she liked to lie on the couch "like a beautiful model."
Katie Galioto
