BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – The Department of Public Safety is investigating the circumstances leading to the ‘accidental death’ of their first comfort dog.
Baxter was found dead Wednesday afternoon inside a state vehicle at the Bangor Regional Communications Center.
DPS said 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 joined the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications in 2022.
Laura Barker, the founder of Hero Pups, described the three-year-old chocolate lab as ‘a great dog with a love for life that he shared with everybody.’
Hero Pups is a New Hampshire-based organization that pairs support dogs with veterans and first responders throughout New England.
Barker founded the organization in 2016 after her son was wounded in Afghanistan.
The nonprofit is dedicated to providing our nation’s heroes with a companion to help them lead better lives.
Baxter was the first comfort dog they sent to Maine.
Barker told WABI that Baxter came from a litter that needed extensive neonatal care due to his mother’s health issues.
He and his siblings, along with his mother, received around-the-clock care.
Baxter trained with Hero Pups before beginning his career as the state’s first official comfort dog in 2022.
Barker says while Baxer’s death has hit their organization hard, she’s hoping this incident will foster change.
“During the training process, we go through a lot of the obedience stuff – the stuff that you think of when you’re training,” Barker said. “We also go through the dogmanship stuff – the handling, the transportation, and we can make recommendations, but once the dog leaves us, we don’t have any say on that matter anymore. So, I am hoping that maybe this will get people talking and really be more committed to the care of the dogs on a broader scope – not just doing the job.”
She went on to say Baxter made a ‘huge impact’ in his short time here.
To date, Hero Pups has provided more than 250 support dogs to veterans and first responders.
Barker says she has spoken with Baxter’s handler. She says they are devastated and trying to process what has happened.
The Department of Public Safety extends its condolences to Baxter’s handler and his family, but says there is no further information available at this time.
DPS did not say how long Baxter was left inside the car for or why he was left in there.
We will update you on this story as we learn more.
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