By Jacob Beltran
The San Antonio Express-News
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Fire Department’s arson dog, Kai, is set to appear on NBC’s “Today” show on Thursday alongside arson investigator Justin Davis, her handler.
Kai, a 6-year-old former shelter dog who has been with the department since 2010, is one of eight K-9 finalists in the American Humane Association’s national Hero Dog Awards contest.
All of the finalists will appear on the show, which airs from 7 to 10 a.m.
Online voting for the contest continues through Sept. 15 at www.herodogawards.org/vote. Participants can vote once per day.
As a finalist, Kai has earned $1,500 for charity partner Project Paws Alive, which provides K-9 equipment to emergency and law enforcement agencies. If she winds the grand prize, the nonprofit will receive an additional $5,000.
The black Labrador retriever already beat out more than a dozen other arson dogs to reach the finals. She and Davis will be flown to Beverly Hills, California, to take part in an awards gala Sept. 27.
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