Latest from Pets & Animals

Why you should rescue a cat
Bridget Foxx-Parr discovers that giving an unwanted cat a second chance has unforeseen benefits.

Why pet insurance pays off
Owning a pet is a two-way relationship. They give people pleasure during the good times, but you have to take care of them when they fall ill.

Talk to the Animals: Presents for pets
They say Christmas is all about the children, however if it happens that your 'children' are of the furry variety that's no reason to leave them off Santa's list.

Military show moved for rare baby birds
A pair of nesting rare birds has forced an Auckland museum to move a live action event in order to protect the endangered chicks.

Bieber 'abandons' his third pet
Justin Bieber is reported to have "abandoned" his third pet, an adorable puppy called Karma.

Snacks in a box get the wag
Tails are wagging across the country as New Zealand's first treat delivery service for dogs is unleashed.

Does your dog understand?
If you are worried that your dog is not paying attention to what you are saying, simply look at where is he is staring.

Dogged wait of 2 years for dead owner
A loyal dog has shown up every day for two years at a Siberian hospital where her master passed away.

Orangutan keeps calm in dentist's chair
At 33 years old, Charlie the Bornean orangutan is getting a little long in the tooth and it's starting to show.

Cop investigated for shooting arrow into dog
Officer struck four-year-old bull mastiff in the chest, causing serious injury, after it wandered onto his property. (Warning: article contains disturbing image.)

Trampled by a crazy cow
A farmer subjected to a "fast and furious" attack by a belligerent bovine says he was lucky to escape serious injury.

Auckland Zoo help save Orangutan
Auckland Zoo is well known for it's efforts in the preservation of the Sumatran wildlife. Palm oil plantations are the main cause for the destruction of the rainforests which are home to the orangutan and many other species. With only an estimated 5,000 left in the world experts expect that the species could become extinct within the next 15 years.

Polly want a crack addict?
Italian police yesterday revealed an enormous collection of animals confiscated in recent months from jailed or arrested mafia bosses.

Vicious cat killer 'nasty and sadistic'
The actions of a Cobden man who set a cat on fire, beat another to death and cut off their paws has been described as "nasty and sadistic" by his own laywer.

Stowaway mouse found in baguette
A mouse's bid to stowaway in a hollowed-out baguette from the Cook Islands to New Zealand has failed after biosecurity officials stopped it at the border.

Long arm of law rescues ruru
A police officer rescued a storm-drenched baby morepork from the side of the road before making a bed for it at the Hamilton police station.

The end is nigh for museum's critters
Auckland Museum is disappointing some of its younger patrons by "retiring" its menagerie of live creatures - partly because of welfare concerns.

Cop rescues baby morepork
A police officer rescued a storm-drenched baby morepork from the side of the road before making a bed for it at the Hamilton Police Station.

Pets as presents? Don't do it
With Christmas upon us there will undoubtedly be some animals thrust into the noise and excitement of the day, writes Sally Hibbard.

Can we bring the huia back to life?
A symposium being held today at Massey University will discuss the potential "de-extinction" of NZ birds, with the huia sitting at the top of the list.

Protesters rally against caged hen farm
Dressed as chickens and posing in giant cages, more than 20 protestors gathered outside the resource consent hearing of a proposed caged chicken farm in South Auckland this morning.

The hunt for NZ's mega-shark
It’s pitch black and Kina Scollay is in a cage at the bottom of the ocean as huge shapes emerge from the darkness.

Kiwi goes on hunger strike for dogs
An SPCA boss disgusted by how many dogs are starving in her patch will tomorrow begin a three-day hunger strike.

Mystery big cat still on prowl
About 200 police officers, 30 members of the armed forces, a helicopter and specialist dogs trained to sniff out their quarry.

Rare ginger kiwi released in Taupo
A kiwi with unusual ginger colouring has been released to the Wairakei Golf and Sanctuary Kiwi Creche in Taupo after hatching at Rainbow Springs’ Kiwi Encounter.