State of Maine’s first comfort dog found dead in state vehicle, officials say

By Mark Quirk

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    BANGOR, Maine (WMTW) — The Maine Department of Public Safety is grieving the unexpected death of Baxter, a 3-year-old chocolate lab who brought comfort and companionship to emergency responders as the state’s first official comfort dog.

Baxter was found dead at about 2 p.m. Wednesday in a state vehicle, which was parked at the Bangor Regional Communications Center.

The DPS said the vehicle unexpectedly stopped running, which caused its air conditioning system to shut down.

According to the National Weather Service, Bangor reached a high temperature of 83 degrees on Wednesday.

State officials said the vehicle was regularly used to transport Baxter. The vehicle is undergoing a thorough inspection to identify potential malfunctions.

Baxter joined the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications in 2022 and offered emotional support to emergency telecommunicators at the state’s three regional dispatch centers.

“His calming and cheerful presence will be deeply missed by all those who interacted with him,” the DPS said in a statement. “The department extends its deepest condolences to Baxter’s handler and his family, as well as the entire emergency telecommunication team.”

The DPS said it is currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding Baxter’s death. No additional details were immediately available.

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