Martha the Mastiff recently concluded nationwide PR tour for winning World’s Ugliest Dog contest
She’s big, droopy, gassy and drooly, and has a snore that can rattle the walls, but she’s melted the hearts of everyone who has met her, and now you too can have a face-to-face encounter with Martha, Sonoma County’s newest and biggest celebrity.
The 3-year-old, 125-pound Neapolitan Mastiff came to Sonoma County courtesy of the Dogwood Animal Rescue project, who were alerted to a Craigslist ad in the Central Valley advertising the dog who appeared to be in ill health for $100. A local rescuer stepped in to facilitate and a team of volunteer drivers arranged to go down and pick up the massive Martha.
Upon arriving at Dogwood, and the Sebastopol home of founder Shirley Zindler, Martha was found to have two serious genetic eye conditions, entropian and cherry-eye, which are both common to the breed and cause extreme pain, inflammation and, if left untreated, blindness. Though Martha was largely sightless and in pain from her conditions, she was sweet and friendly, greeting everyone with a wag of her enormous tail.
After two surgeries at Township Animal Hospital in Windsor, sight was restored in Martha’s right eye, though she is likely permanently blind in the left, but more importantly she is now pain-free. Zindler decided to enter her in the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, a 29-year tradition at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. Though she didn’t exactly put on a show—she flopped over and fell asleep during much of her time on stage—her droopy countenance and sweet nature won the crowd and judges over.
The $1,500 in prize money will also allow Zindler to help rescue other dogs like Martha.
Immediately following her win, Martha went on a whirlwind media tour—including a flight to New York to appear on the Today Show and Kelly and Ryan. Rumor has it Matt Lauer was especially taken with Martha and her fame and story spread far and wide.
“I think it’s the classic rags to riches story,” Zindler said. “This dog that so recently was completely unwanted and in pain and not living the life she deserved, and now she’s world-famous and she’s beloved, adored and wanted and pain-free. I love the rags-to-riches thing, she’s got everything she needs now.
She came home to several local radio and television appearances, but then she went on the most important trip of all — the one that took her to her permanent, adoptive home. Martha now spends her days playing with other rescued dogs at a Penngrove ranch.
But her public appearances are not quite over yet — on July 17, the public can have one last chance to meet Martha and raise funds to help other dogs like her.
The Graton Resort and Casino will host an event at Tony’s of North Bay restaurant from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be a special menu for the event and 10 percent of the revenue from the meals will be donated to Dogwood. There will also be raffle and auction items, including a spa and stay package, a beach trip including lunch with Martha and Shirley, and airplane tour, an overnight package from Graton Casino, special edition wines and more.
You can also purchase Martha T-shirts, “pawtographed” photos, and have your picture taken with the one and only Martha.
“(This will give) the public a chance to meet Martha and will be a fundraiser,” Zindler said. “We spent a lot on Martha’s care and there will be many others that need expensive care. We will be able to do it if we have funding.”
Finally though, Zindler believes that Martha has a big lesson to teach the world.
“For me, she tells the story that there are so many wonderful dogs in need that aren’t the classically beautiful dog that we think of when we want to adopt,” she said. “And yet, they are so worthy, they are such characters and so lovely and so capable of as much love and loyalty as the next dog. “
For more information about the event on July 17, check out dogwoodanimalrescue.org or their Facebook page Dogwood Animal Rescue Project. As befitting a celebrity of her size, Martha has her own Facebook page, Martha the Mastiff.
