Laguna Beach Pooch Wins PEOPLE's 'World's Cutest Rescue' Award

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A South Orange County pooch just won big after he was crowned the victor in PEOPLE's World's Cutest Rescue Dog contest.

Hobie, a one-eyed rescue dog from the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter, was adopted by Christin Bernhardt and Joern Riemer after being found in Tijuana with severe glaucoma in his left eye.

After being rescued by the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter, he was able to get the medical attention he needed to live a full life.

"We went back to the shelter almost every day for two weeks until he opened up to us," Bernhardt told PEOPLE.

Hobie eventually opened up to his forever family by giving them a "big, slobbery kiss... that was the moment where the ice broke."

"Joern and I both jumped up and down with excitement," Bernhardt said of the win. "We gave Hobie a big hug and told him that he's now officially the world's cutest!"