Don J. Harris, DVM is a personable, soft-spoken young man. He is also one of the most respected avian veterinarians in the world.

His work has not only brought about major advances in the care and treatment of pet birds, it has brought prestige and esteem to South Florida as an area where important innovations in avian medicine have been initiated.

Don J. Harris

Dr. Harris is responsible for the "Miami Vice", a restraint device which immobilizes birds during surgery. He invented several surgical instruments used on birds including the "Adson-Harris Forceps" and the "Harris Iris Scissors". He also worked with Anesco Inc. to develop a respiratory ventilator which does the breathing for birds undergoing surgery. This device substantially increases a bird’s ability to survive surgery.

In addition, he has originated several surgical techniques plus diagnostic procedures which employ an endoscope to examine the gastrointestinal system, respiratory system and abdominal organs of birds.

As a result, Dr. Harris has become a sought-after speaker and lecturer at veterinary seminars both in the United States and overseas. This year alone he has been invited to speak in Canada, Spain, Austria, Australia, Japan, and Germany as well as several U.S. states. He has also been the subject of feature stories in several prestigious professional journals and on the Fox television network.

Dr. Harris opened the Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center at 12125 South Dixie Hwy. (in the Suniland South Shopping Center) in 1996. It is one of a limited number of veterinary hospitals anywhere dedicated exclusively to the care of birds and other exotic non-domestic pets such as ferrets, rabbits and turtles.

The center has become one of the most highly acclaimed facilities of its kind. While Dr. Harris sees only birds, his associate, Dr. William Chavez, DVM treats the other species. They are assisted by a staff of six well-trained technicians plus both veterinary medical students and visiting veterinarians, who come from all after the world, to the hospital to gain experience in the field.

According to Dr. Wendy Emerson, DVM from Boston, Massachusetts, "When Veterinary Medical Schools want their students to learn about the newest techniques in caring for birds and see state-of-the-art equipment in use, they send those students to Dr. Harris. The work being done at the Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center in Miami is more advanced than that of most Veterinary Medical Schools."

The 3,000 sq. ft. facility has three examination rooms, two waiting rooms, a surgical suite, an X-ray suite and other specialized areas. "Patients" come from throughout South Florida, the Keys, Naples and Ft. Myers, West Palm Beach, the Bahamas even as far away as Nova Scotia. Many of the center’s clients are referrals from other veterinarians and a substantial number are referrals from pet shops.

Dr. Harris received his DVM degree from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980. In addition to his practice, he is a Consulting Veterinarian for the Miami Seaquarium and the Parrot Jungle. He also serves as the chief clinical consultant at the University of Miami Wildlife and Exotic Lab and as an adjunct assistant professor in the Division of Comparative Pathology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He donates services, at no cost, to the Dade County Wildlife Association, which rescues and rehabilitates wildlife.

Dr. Harris is a frequent contributor to professional and lay publications. He has served as the president of the International Khoury League of Avian Veterinarians and the South Florida Veterinary Medical Association.

For the past six years he has been in charge of organizing the exotic animal presentations at the North American Veterinary Conference held in Orlando each January. This meeting is the largest veterinary conference in the world and is attended by over 14,000 veterinary professionals, from all over the globe, annually. In 1998 he was named "Speaker of the Year". This year, he was elected to the NAVC Board of Directors..

The doctor grew up in Thibodaux, La. (population 14,000), where his pets were raccoons and snakes rather than cats and dogs. "I’ve always been interested in animals," he says. "I had originally intended to specialize in marine mammals...dolphins and whales. In veterinary school I became interested in exotic animals. People started bringing me birds and I realized that avian medicine was a relatively new field. I am pleased that I have been able to make contributions to the field and feel it is important to help other veterinarians expand their knowledge of this area of medicine."

According to Dr. Harris, birds are becoming increasingly popular as pets. Within three to five years, he says there will be as many pet birds as there are pet cats and dogs. There are many reasons why. Birds are better companions. They are more interactive with their owners and have better personalities than many other kinds of pets. Physicians agree that birds enhance the lives of their owners, especially the elderly, invalids, etc.

Don Harris teaches avian medicine and surgical techniques at as many as ten conferences each year. Sponsored by the Bayer Corporation, he talks about Baytril (a drug for animals) all over the world. His veterinary practice and the Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center are both growing rapidly. Yet he is most proud of is his family —- his wife "Trich" and his son Adam. That’s indicative of the kind of man he is. A bird man, with his feet firmly planted on the ground.

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