Women will place more value on how a potential mate interacts with their pet than will single men.

A sleigh-full of presents isn't the only special delivery to roll in this festive season, as the South Island's West Coast welcomes a rare kiwi.

Eight ducklings were rescued by the fire service after getting trapped down a drain.

Heartwarming images from an international photo competition of children with animals.

Furry surfers of all shapes and sizes have grabbed their boards and hit the beach to take part in the annual Surf City Surf Dog Competition.

An Auckland man has placed an ad on Trade Me offering a reward of $500 for the return of a missing magpie named Piper.

A public, and at times nasty, tug-of-love battle over an adored pedigree cat has come to an end with a court order.

Humans haven't seen a living short-nosed sea snake in 15 years, but there they were, two such snakes swimming along in the waters of Western Australia.

What's your initial reaction: "That's adorable" or "The person who did this needs to be locked up"?

River could not contain her excitement when her new owner's mother arrived at Tauranga SPCA to collect the 3-month-old adopted pup.

Everyone knows they're out there, but how well do you know your sharks? Niwa looks at four of the most common sharks you're likely to spot this summer.

In the years since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, Alaa Aljaleel has become his hometown's unofficial feline caretaker.

A dog sparked a fight between two women on a beach which led to the alleged attacker facing criminal charges.

A woman has been prosecuted after a dog she was supposed to look after suffered "pain and distress" for 10 weeks, the SPCA said today.

Pandas don't want no scrubs. They have a higher success rate of having cubs if they are coupled with a bear they love.

It's a bad time of year to be a turkey. But one bird was determined not to be a Christmas dinner and escaped from his farm three times in a week.

AMAZING PHOTO: Whatever you do, don't open that door!

It's doggy dental time and the results of a unique trial have pointed strongly to a way to achieve good dental health - raw bones.

Woman mauled by three Irish wolfhounds on the terrifying moment she thought she was going to die.

Auckland is on the brink of "explosion" in red-eared slider turtles. A pest regarded as one of the world's 100 most-invasive species.

Auckland Airport is giving away $120,000 to Kiwi charities as part of its 12 Days of Christmas initiative.

Across New Zealand, pets can get swimming certificates, advent calendars, and even be dyed to match bridesmaids' dresses.

A women was driving her car when she heard a meowing. When she opened the bonnet she saw a trapped kitten

Despite appearing in countless wildlife documentaries about the continent, it appears the cheetah is not really African at all.

Approximately 90 per cent of seabirds have been found to have plastic in their stomachs, and the worst-hit locations are right in our back yard, writes Sam Judd.

We really love our pets, we Kiwis - most of us give presents to our cats at Christmas and even more make sure Santa looks after the dog.

Eight lions from a pride that featured in the BBC TV series Big Cat Diary have been poisoned in the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

The final moments of a much loved police horse comforted by an officer were captured in this photo.