State comfort dog dies in hot government vehicle

BANGOR, Maine (WABI/Gray News) – Maine’s first official comfort dog died after he was left unattended in a hot car.

Baxter, a 3-year-old chocolate lab, was found dead Wednesday inside a state vehicle at the Bangor Regional Communication Center.

The Maine Department of Public Safety is currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding the dog’s death.

Officials with the department said the car was supposed to be running with the air conditioning on but somehow it had been turned off.

The state vehicle, in which Baxter was regularly transported, 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.

As a comfort dog, Baxter’s mission was to help improve the mood and well-being of first-line responders in Maine’s three emergency communication centers.

He ed the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications in 2022.

The Maine Department of Public Safety extends its deepest condolences to Baxter’s handler and his family, as well as the entire emergency telecommunication team.

There’s no word yet on whether the person who was operating the car could face any disciplinary action.

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