FAST FIVE Take a walk on the wild side with Ginger Harris

Meet Ginger Harris, an owner of Big Red's Barn, an indoor animal experience at 7397 N. Government Way,
Coeur d’Alene.

1) What motivated you to create Big Red's Barn?

I've had a deep love for animals for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I’ve rescued what I was able and have had everything from pigs (who lived in their own bedroom in my house!) to piranhas, eels, an arowana, vampire fish, a chameleon, bunnies, chickens and plenty of dogs. When the previous owners of Big Red’s Barn decided to retire, I felt like it was a big opportunity to share — like this was my chance to take everything I’d learned and pour it into a place where others could connect with animals, too. Big Red’s Barn (bigredsbarn.com) became my way to not only give animals a second chance but to share my passion for compassion, rescue and conservation with the community.

2) Where do your animals come from, and do any of them get to go home with you?

Most of our animals are rescues or have been surrendered to us. We get calls almost every week from people or organizations needing help with rehoming animals, and we do everything we can to provide a safe, loving place for them. A few of the animals and birds, especially those that need extra care or have special needs, do come home with me to get love and attention around the clock. It’s not unusual for my house to have a few extra guests.

3) What are some of your favorite animals and why?

I'm a total bird nerd. They’re extremely fascinating to me — they're highly intelligent and beautiful, they form bonds much like people and they all have unique personalities. No two birds or parrots are alike. Listening to them communicate verbally and through sounds, with each other and with us, reminds me how much we still have to learn from the birds. I am a mom to a senior quaker parrot, Ralph, 26, whose favorite spot is my neck. He's our branch manager at the zoo so he commutes with me to and from work, so if you see me out and about wearing my fancy scarf, just know there's a happy little bird in there, living his best life. 

4) What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

People are usually surprised by how meticulous I am. I’m very detail-oriented and have owned and operated a local cleaning business for 20 years. After taking over the zoo, I scaled back to just commercial cleaning, but I am proudly responsible for two historic downtown Coeur d'Alene buildings. I've been known to be a little OCD, especially when it comes to my garden and plants. I find peace in tending to them, and I think it’s that same nurturing instinct that drives my work with animals. I am biophilic in every sense of the word. Creating beauty and order and connecting to nature, whether in a garden or a barn, gives me a sense of joy and purpose.

5) Why is it important that we humans take care of our animal friends and look out for their well-being?

I believe animals are just as deserving of love, respect and care as any person. They feel joy, fear, love and pain, just like we do. It’s our responsibility to protect and honor them — not just because they depend on us as the voiceless, but because we share this world with them. Caring for animals isn’t just about kindness; it’s about justice. Every animal, no matter how small or strange, deserves a life filled with dignity, well-being and compassion and I feel it's extremely important for us to pass that on to our next generation of children as early as possible.