Avian & Exotic AMC

Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Consulting is the outreach arm of the Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center, which has delivered world-class veterinary care to birds and exotic animals for over four decades.

The new AEAMC offers both clinical and consulting services, dedicated to supporting the husbandry and medical needs of avian, exotic, and wildlife species. Our clients range from single-pet households and private collections to major zoological parks and wildlife rehabilitation centers.

We also provide on-site consulting and training for veterinarians and their teams, along with specialized programs for veterinary students.

Our service area currently covers the entire planet Earth—though we have ambitious plans to expand to the Moon and Mars in the near future. Recent assignments have taken us across South America, Europe, and Asia, as well as nearly every corner of North America.

TESTIMONIALS
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• South Miami
  • VCA South Dade Animal Hospital
  • 7230 N Kendall Drive
  • South Miami, FL 33156
  • (305) 234-2473
    
    
    
• Field Work, Nationally and Internationally
  • (786) 232-3464
  • djh@avianexotic.com

Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Consulting is committed to advancing the standards of husbandry and veterinary care for captive exotic animals across the globe. Our ultimate mission is to enrich the lives of all species—both the animals themselves and the humans who live with, and devote their lives to, their care.

Dr. Harris brings over four decades of expertise in the medical care of birds, reptiles, and exotic mammals. While he continues to care for his regular patients, his current passion is sharing his knowledge and experience with veterinarians, exotic animal caretakers, and individuals with limited resources.

In keeping with this mission, all fees for on-site consulting services—whether at universities, veterinary hospitals, wildlife rehabilitation centers, or private and commercial exotic animal collections—are negotiable. Travel-related expenses such as airfare, lodging, and meals are billed at cost.

Teleconsultation fees vary based on the level of involvement required, and advice is rarely provided without the intent to collaborate closely with local veterinarians.

Consulting services include, but are not limited to,

• Lectures and/or workshops for veterinary schools
• Onsite training to veterinary practices (anywhere) regarding practice management and medical care for birds and exotic species
• “House calls” for special situations that cannot be managed at local clinics
• Onsite visits to animal parks, large private collections, and wildlife rehabilitation centers for direction with husbandry and medical care
• Behavior modification/training including legitimate service animal qualifying, (NOT emotional support)
• Lectures on all aspects of avian veterinary medicine and husbandry at veterinary conferences, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and pet bird organizations.
• Counseling to colleagues regarding basic medicine and husbandry
• Second opinions to colleagues regarding specific medical cases
• Teleconsulting*

For regular hospital appointments call (305) 234-2473.

For information on consultations, onsite or via telemedicine, contact Dr. Harris directly at
(786) 232-3464 or, better yet, djh@avianexotic.com .

Please Note: Accurate assessment of medical conditions requires a direct, hands-on examination. For cases Dr. Harris has not personally attended, input provided to owners will be limited to recommending possible diagnostic approaches, assisting in locating qualified local veterinarians, and similar guidance. Definitive diagnoses or treatment plans will rarely—if ever—be offered.

Dr. Don J. Harris is one of the nation’s leading experts in avian and exotic animal medicine. After graduating from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980, his Cajun upbringing in the Louisiana swamps gave him unique hands-on experience with wildlife—skills that proved invaluable when he moved to urban Miami.

By 1990, the growing demand for his expertise led him to focus exclusively on exotic species, and in 1996, he opened Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center—South Florida’s first veterinary hospital dedicated solely to exotic animals. Today, the hospital serves as a direct link between pet owners and the world’s top specialists in exotic animal care.

Dr. Harris’s reputation is truly international. He has served as President of the South Florida Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Avian Veterinarians, and the North American Veterinary Conference, the largest veterinary conference in the world. He is a sought-after speaker at veterinary conferences worldwide and has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Animal Planet, and National Geographic—with one memorable case making the cover of the National Enquirer.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Harris is an avid fisherman, sailor, skydiver, snowboarder, and musician. His greatest pride is his family: daughter Meredith and her husband Jamie, raising children Nash, Watt, and Maggie in Austin, Texas; and son Adam, a mathematics and music prodigy pursuing his PhD in Materials Science Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder while also coaching skydiving and teaching drumming.

Passionate, dedicated, and relentless in his pursuit of excellence, Dr. Harris gives 110% to every patient and client. When your exotic pet is in his care, you can trust that nothing will be spared to ensure their health and well-being.

Professional Achievements / Curriculum Vitae
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