Zita, a three-year-old German shorthaired pointer, is in the running for the Transportation Security Administration's Cutest Canine of 2023.
Zita, who works as a bomb-sniffing dog at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, is one of four finalists in the TSA's annual contest. She faces competition from working doggos at airports in Las Vegas, Atlanta and Tampa.
Zita competed in the first round through Tuesday. If she advances, the public can vote for her again in the final round beginning Wednesday.
TSA will announce the contest winner Monday.
Zita graduated from the TSA's Canine Training Center in November 2022 and was assigned to MSP to replace Eebbers, a vizsla-Labrador mix who retired to Iowa last year after being named 2022's Cutest Canine.
If Zita wins, MSP would be the first airport to boast back-to-back winners in the contest.
TSA officials say these highly trained canines are critical in detecting the scent of explosives and explosive materials. The pooches are paired with handlers to utilize their keen sense of smell when working in a "busy transportation environment," according to a news release. They're also trained to work on public transit and in maritime settings.
