The Maine Department of Public Safety is investigating the death of the state’s first official comfort dog.

The three-year-old chocolate lab named Baxter was found dead inside a state vehicle Wednesday, which had stopped running, causing the air conditioner to shut down.

Baxter joined the Maine Bureau of Emergency Communications in 2022 and served to improve the mood of first responders in three emergency communication centers.

The Department of Public Safety said his calming and cheerful presence will be deeply missed.

Baxter was found dead at approximately 2 p.m. on Wednesday, inside a state vehicle located at the Bangor Regional Communications Center. Baxter was regularly transported inside the vehicle, and DPS is investigating the circumstances of the death.

The department says the vehicle is undergoing a thorough inspection to identify potential malfunctions that may have led it to unexpectedly stop running.