'Adopt Ugly' encourages pet lovers to adopt shelter/rescue animals

OKLAHOMA CITY — A lot of people would love to adopt a dog, but most potential dog owners look for special features... like a dog that would look nice with their home or family.

But this weekend, some Oklahoma groups came together to encourage Oklahomans to "adopt ugly."

"It's so exciting to be here. We've got so many dogs from different rescues and different organizations," Natasha Alikhani, with the Bella Foundation, said.

Lots of dogs were brought together for a celebration.

"Just because the ugly, or the quirks, are the things that make them so beautiful," Julia Radke, creator of Adopt Ugly, said.

See some competitors from recent 'World's Ugliest Dog' competitions:

The first ever Adopt Ugly event was held Saturday at the Oklahoma City Farmer's Public Market. It was organized by a UCO student who wants to encourage people to know that shelter or rescue dogs are beautiful.

"A lot of people have had a stigma of calling rescue dogs ugly...yeah, a lot of people have said that. So we want to change that negative stigma," Alikhani said.

Dogs of all shapes, sizes, breeds, and personalities were on hand. There were even a few cats.

It was a big event with one simple message. Adopt ugly.

"Dogs, a lot of times, stay in shelters longer because of age, or appearance, or size. So our whole focus was to get those dogs homes," Radke said.

Dogs that found a forever home at the event took home an Adopt Ugly kit that included soap, a toy, and a brush.

If you're a pet lover, check out the slideshow below: