The Maine Department of Public Safety family suffered a tragic loss yesterday with the accidental death of Baxter, a three-year-old chocolate lab who joined the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications in 2022 as the state’s first official comfort dog. Baxter was found deceased at approximately 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, inside a state vehicle located at the Bangor Regional Communications Center. DPS is currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding Baxter’s death; 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; his calming and cheerful presence will be deeply missed by all those who interacted with him. The Department extends its deepest condolences to Baxter’s handler and his family, as well as the entire emergency telecommunication team. We have no further information available at this time.