As he trots through the halls of Norman Regional Hospital, one of the system’s favorite employees is covered in soft blond hair, stands about two feet tall, and might offer a kiss along the way. His colleagues describe him as a good boy who will do anything for a piece of dried beef lung and say he is his patients’ favorite healer.
Since meeting him two years ago, his handler, Angie Bruce, said she has gained a best friend that makes coming to work better. Bruce traveled to Fort Worth, Texas, to pick him up from Lonestar Doodles and has been his constant companion ever since. Porter, an English goldendoodle and Norman Regional Hospital’s first full-time therapy dog, works Monday through Friday, supporting both patients and hospital staff.
After two years of work, Porter knows his way around. Bruce said Porter always starts his day by leading the two through the ambulance bay to dispatch while holding his own leash. Later, Porter wags through the halls, visiting different floors.
As his spokesperson and caretaker, Bruce said Porter has a special ability to lift moods even when the weight of being in a hospital starts to add up.
Porter the therapy dog on Nov. 11, 2026.
“We walk onto a unit and you hear, ‘Oh, Porter,’ and everybody smiles, and they all light up,” Bruce said.
For his patients, Porter offers a moment of escape, bringing a smile as some face what could be one of the worst days of their lives. Bruce said she has had several families comment on Porter's support to patients.
"I've had patients' family come up to me and tell me, ‘You brought Porter in to see my mom and that really cheered her up, and it made her stay a little bit easier,'” Bruce said.
Porter also offers a helping paw to patients’ families during difficult times. Bruce said this is especially the case for worried families waiting outside the intensive care unit.
“He just helps them forget for a few minutes,” Bruce said.
For Porter, his work has always been instinctive, though he faced some challenges at first. Bruce said older people are his favorite to visit.
“Everything just came natural for him. Seeing patients and kids, and the only thing hard was when he was puppy. He had those puppy teeth,” Bruce said.
As he continues his rounds, Porter also visits hospital staff. For the staff, Porter can temporarily draw their attention away from the tough situations they face on a daily basis.
“It just changes their attitude, makes them happy, and I think for a little bit they forget,” Bruce said.
Bruce recounted one of Porter’s early days on the job, when he calmed an emergency room nurse on her first day.
“We had a situation in the ER with her patient that was really tough,” Bruce said. “So I heard about it, and I asked if I could bring Porter. He hadn't had any training or anything. I think he had a positive impact on her. It really helped calm her down.”
According to nursing supervisor Crystal Cohea, Porter always puts a smile on her face.
“I don't know how he does it. It just happens. We just see him and we just get in a good mood,” Cohea said.
Porter the therapy dog on Nov. 11, 2026.
Nurse Denny Lenox said Porter does the same for him.
“When we’re all having a stressful day, he comes and brightens it,” Lenox said. “He keeps the morale up.”
As a member of the security team, Bruce said Porter helps improve her day when facing difficult situations.
“I don't know what I’d do without him. It makes coming to work a lot, a lot easier, a lot better,” Bruce said.
Porter might stop for a pup cup at the hospital’s Daily Grind coffee shop, where he has a drink named after him. After a long day as the hospital’s favorite “fur-time” employee, Porter and Bruce head home knowing they will repeat another day of patient care and staff support again.
For more information about Porter and his work at Norman Regional Hospital, you can find him on Instagram here.
This story was edited by Spencer Windholz. Izzy Fletcher and Tori Pham copy edited this story.
