Maine’s first official comfort dog, a 3-year-old chocolate lab named Baxter, was found dead in a state vehicle Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The Department of Public Safety called the death “accidental.” It did not list a specific cause, but noted that the vehicle’s air conditioning had failed.
“DPS is currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding Baxter’s death,” the agency said in a statement. “The state vehicle… is undergoing a thorough inspection to identify potential malfunctions that may have led it to unexpectedly stop running, which caused the vehicle’s air conditioning to cease operating.”
Baxter was routinely transported in the same vehicle where he was later found, according to the statement.
At the time of his death, the car was parked at the Bangor Regional Communications Center. Baxter served all three centers run by the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications, where he supported the emotional well-being of first responders.
Baxter joined the bureau in 2022. “His calming and cheerful presence will be deeply missed by all those who interacted with him,” according to the statement.
“The Department extends its deepest condolences to Baxter’s handler and his family, as well as the entire emergency telecommunication team.”
Rita Chandler can be reached at rita.chandler@globe.com.