Hobie, a one-eyed rescue dog from Orange County, was named and crowned “The World’s Cutest Rescue Dog” by PEOPLE magazine on Friday, October 20.
The five-year-old Terrier mix emerged triumphant from the magazine’s national competition, presented by the PEDIGREE® brand and which brought together more than 8,000 canine participants.
Although his features make him resemble a charming one-eyed teddy bear, Hobie had a tough time before finding his forever home and officially being named the world’s cutest rescue dog.
According to PEOPLE, Hobie was rescued from the streets of Tijuana, Mexico. And when he was rescued, he was suffering from severe glaucoma, which led to the removal of his left eye.
The dog finally found his forever home on July 17, 2022, when Christin Bernhardt and Joern Riemer adopted him.
According to PEOPLE, Hobie’s parents felt like their family was incomplete after moving from Boston to California in 2022.
From then on, the couple started looking for a friend for Zoé, their 15-year-old Cairn Terrier. And while browsing online, Bernhardt came across a photo of Hobie, who was then available for adoption at the Laguna Beach animal shelter.
Bernhardt said: “He reminded me of the dog I had when I was a child in Germany.”
“We fell in love with him” Bernhardt reveals after seeing the photo of the one-eyed dog.
However, if it was love at first sight for the couple, it was not the same for Hobie. Bernhardt revealed that the dog wouldn’t stop barking at them during their first visit to the Laguna Beach animal shelter.
But the couple was determined to win the pooch’s heart and came to the shelter almost every day for two weeks.
Remembering the day Hobie finally accepted them, Bernhardt said Hobie gave him “a big sloppy kiss. . . . That’s when the ice broke.
But obviously, Hobie’s parents weren’t the only ones who fell under his spell. Because he obviously also won the hearts of the voters and the famous judge, Miranda Lambert, of PEOPLE magazine’s “Cutest Rescue Dog in the World” competition.
As the overall winner of the contest, Hobie’s prize included a year’s worth of PEDIGREE® dog food and a $1,000 donation to the animal rescue of his choice.
According to PEOPLEHobie’s parents decided to donate the prize money to Laguna Beach PUPthe fundraising arm of the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter, aka Hobie’s old house.
Additionally, Hobie’s parents recently started an Instagram account for the dog to celebrate his victory and also raise awareness for adoptable disabled animals like Hobie.
You can follow the world’s cutest rescue dog and all his adventures on Instagram here!