NEW YORK (Audacy) — Well, that's something to bark about!
A four-year-old Golden Retriever named Alona has been anointed the Transportation Security Administration's "2021 Cutest Canine," the agency announced Thursday — aka National Dog Day.
The pooch, who is an explosives detection canine, works with her handler Vanessa at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.
"Alona’s favorite toy is a hard rubber ball, and she enjoys the open spaces of a park when she is off-duty," the TSA said in news release.
"While on duty, she is curious and social. Most of all, she loves to overhear passengers talk about how adorable she is as she carries out her important responsibilities as a working canine."
Voting was conducted last week via a three-day nationwide social media contest on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Alona emerged as a fan favorite from a group of four TSA canine finalists that began among a list of 77 eligible canine contenders. Preliminary voting among TSA employees narrowed the field of 77 contenders to the final four.
Alona started her career with the TSA’s National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program in August 2018. She graduated from TSA’s Canine Training Center as a certified Passenger Screening Canine.
The four finalists were 4-year-old German Shepherd Lexa, 4-year-old German Shepherd Lexi, both from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The other contender was 3-year-old Belgian Malinois Badger, from Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The canines were nominated by TSA handlers from airports around the country and voted on by the general public.