On Wednesday, the winner of an unusual online contest to find the city's chunkiest dog will be named in Delhi, India, the BBC reports. The vote was organized by the "Fat Dogs of Delhi" Instagram* page, which focuses on the city's large dogs; followers were invited to nominate their favorite dogs from their neighborhoods, with the first 64 nominations accepted for the competition.

Voting began on September 24. In the first round, the participants were divided into 32 groups, with one dog selected from each. By Tuesday, eight dogs remained in the final. During the contest, the page has gained tens of thousands of new followers, and residents from other regions of India—including Kerala and Kolkata—are voting for their favorites. Fans are creating posters, videos, and memes.

Most of the participants do not have owners. They are "neighborhood" dogs cared for by residents, shopkeepers, and workers—people who feed them, give them names, and look after their health. Two dogs died during the tournament.

Among the finalists is Gugu, a mixed-breed dog weighing 46 kg. He currently lives at an animal care center, where his diet is being managed and he undergoes medical check-ups to help him lose weight. The contest organizer told the BBC that she had not expected such success. According to her, the page began highlighting animal welfare organizations and fundraising campaigns.

The contest also drew criticism. Some social media users believe it could romanticize obesity in dogs and encourage overfeeding, even though excess weight contributes to disease and shortens the animals' lifespan.

For the final round, the organizers will place ballot boxes at three locations across the city, allowing people to vote in person as well as online.

*The social network Instagram is owned by Meta, which has been designated an extremist organization and banned in the Russian Federation.