Westgate Pet Clinic

The story begins in 1858 when Thomas Portier brought his family to Minnesota from Quebec to homestead.

Thomas was a "horse doctor" by trade. In those days, you didn't need a veterinary degree to work on animals.

You learned from someone else that was doing that job.

Most animal doctors during the 19th century also needed other jobs to supplement their income.

Thomas did as well. He farmed and raised stallions in addition to his animal doctoring.

Thomas's son, Bennett Porter, was the first "official" veterinarian in the Porter family.

Dr. Porter graduated from Ontario Veterinary College in 1906.

He wasn't a kid at the time he graduated.

He had already been married, and remarried since he lost his first wife to typhoid fever, leaving him a single father with 3 children.

Bennett's new wife, Edith Adele, had also lost her spouse to typhoid, and was widowed with 3 children.

Together, Bennett and Edith had 3 more children for a total of nine.

Their 9th child, Bennett J. Porter I carried on the family veterinary tradition.