(June 3) -- Miss Ellie, the small, scraggly-faced pooch who was dubbed the "World's Ugliest Dog" in a 2009 Animal Planet contest, has died at the age of 17.

The Chinese crested hairless never won "best in show," but she was nonetheless a showbiz pro who proved to be a handsome asset for animal shelters, helping them raise thousands of dollars with her appearances.

In her hometown of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Miss Ellie is regarded as somewhat of a hero. The Associated Press reports that she helped raise more than $100,000 for the local humane society. And this week, Pigeon Forge Mayor Keith Whaley designated Nov. 12 as "Miss Ellie Day" to celebrate her good deeds.

Miss Ellie's death "was not unexpected, even though she had been doing well," her owner, Dawn Goehring, told The Mountain Press in Pigeon Forge.

Miss Ellie got her showbiz start at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge and had made it big by the time she died. Her mug has appeared on billboards and in commercials, and she was even featured on Fox News.

Although she was blind in recent years, Miss Ellie never slowed down. According to The Mountain Press, Goehring entered her in a "Beauty and the Beast" contest in Tennessee just last week.

Her Facebook page described her as "9 pounds of Chinese crested hairless cuteness."