Latest fromPets & Animals

Bieber's monkey adopted by German zoo
A tiny capuchin monkey belonging to Justin Bieber won lifetime residency in Germany on Saturday after the singer'sagents said Bieber would not try to recover his confiscated pet.

Fishermen angry at call to extend set-net ban
Otago commercial fishermen have reacted with anger to a proposal to extend a ban on set-net fishing around the Otago Peninsula to help preserve yellow-eyed penguin colonies.

Mice return from a month in space
A Russian capsule carrying mice, lizards and other small animals has returned to Earth after spending a month in space for what scientists said was the longest experiment of its kind.

Lid lowered on global warming rate
New research from Oxford University shows the rate of global warming has been lower over the past decade than it was previously.

Catriona MacLennan: Review of animal welfare law too timid
New Zealand in 2013 has the opportunity to take a bold step and introduce the best animal welfare laws in the world.

Precious penguins needing better protection
Extending a ban on set net fishing around the Otago Peninsula will stem the deaths of one of the rarest penguin species in the world

Giant crabs frighten biosecurity staff
Auckland Airport biosecurity staff have avoided a nasty nipping after finding five live crabs in a Vietnamese passenger's luggage.

Giant petrel drops in for dinner
Dunedin Department of Conservation staff helped a wayward windfarer back on its flight path yesterday.

Recovery after amputations
After having had each front toe amputated, could a 12-year-old takahe called Maroro resume a normal lifestyle? The answer is a resounding yes.

Trapped dogs 'scream' as house burns
Screams coming from Wairarapa home as fire tore through it turned out to be two dogs trapped in the blaze.

Man accused of bashing pigs now facing chicken charges
A North Canterbury forest lifestyle block owner facing animal welfare charges has now been charged with breaching a protection order and bashing 13 chickens to death.

Rabbits reaching 'plague proportions'
Tallies from the annual Great Easter Bunny Hunt in Central Otago must have embarrassed the Otago Regional Council, as they revealed the ineffectiveness of its pest management, submitters said this week.

A seal-ly big surprise
A Wairarapa man got more than he bargained for when he took his two dogs walking at Lake Domain.

Time for Duncan the kokako to go home
Bird catchers will be out in the Auckland suburb of Glendowie today after the runaway kokako was discovered a fortnight ago.

Dog owner faces prosecution
The owner of a dog that ripped a large chunk of flesh from an elderly man's arm is to be prosecuted if the animal is not released to dog control officers.

Hector's dolphins caught in nets
Two Hector's dolphins have been captured by set nets during an electronic monitoring programme of the set net industry in Timaru.

Rare bird living in suburbia
Residents of a leafy street in suburban Auckland are keeping their cats in at night and are helping Department of Conservation staff catch an adventurous and rare kokako.

Daytripper: Here be dragons
Once the kids see Reptile Park's residents, they'll want to stay and stare, writes Dionne Christian.

Making the fury fly
Ingrid Newkirk compares factory farming to the Holocaust and SeaWorld to slavery. Carole Cadwalladr crosses swords with the founder of Peta.

Kokako head into the wilds
The progress of a pair of rare New Zealand kokako will be tracked via radio transmitters when they are released into the wild this weekend.