BANGOR — A state official is facing charges in connection with the death of the state’s first official comfort dog, Baxter.

The news comes over three months after Baxter died in a hot car in Bangor.

The chocolate lab was brought on in 2022 to help dispatchers cope with stress.

The Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that Brodie Hinckley, Baxter’s handler and the director of the Maine Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Emergency Communications, has been charged with a civil violation of animal cruelty.

The charge follow an independent investigation by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Animal Welfare Program.

Department of Public Safety Spokesperson Shannon Moss told Spectrum News Friday that Hinckley has been placed on paid administrative leave.

“This tragedy has had a profound impact on many people,” Moss said, in part, “including many members of the Department, and especially those who worked with Baxter every day.”

Moss added that public response following Baxter’s death has led to calls at the state’s dispatch centers, and requests that the public refrains from contacting dispatchers about the incident, “to ensure our dispatchers can remain focused on answering emergency calls and supporting the safety of our communities.”

Hickley has been summoned to appear in court on Nov 6.