Latest fromPets & Animals

Capital put on on lizard watch
The city's lizard population has declined due to loss of habitat and predation by introduced mammals, prompting Mayor Celia Wade-Brown to ask eco-sleuths to help.

Cat meeting goes feral
A sometimes heated public meeting has heard Gareth Morgan's ideas on how to clamp down on cats that kill birds.

Horse woman 'hassled'
The woman who rode her trusty steed through downtown Greymouth on Saturday night says she was "hassled" by police and her antics had not harmed anyone.

Immunity grows to repellent
Mosquitos can grow immune to repellent in as quickly as three hours, according to new research.

Royalty washes up in NZ
A young penguin washed up on a New Zealand beach, more than 2000km from home, is fighting for its life at Wellington Zoo.

SPCA to investigate drunk horse ride
The SPCA will launch investigate after a drunk woman rode her horse through the streets of Greymouth and offered bar patrons rides around town before being arrested.

'Sixth sense' scientist tips revolution
The scientist who has given a "sixth sense" to laboratory animals has promised an even bigger revolution in the research field he has pioneered.

Grant Guilford: Dung beetle plan a risky gamble
A controversial decision by the environment authority to approve the introduction of 11 new species of dung beetle to this country has exposed serious weaknesses in our biosecurity processes.

Greymouth woman takes horse to the pub
Greymouth police impounded an unusual mode of transport on Saturday night - a horse.

Tiny the turtle's big adventure
Tiny is a bit special - he's the smallest turtle to be found in New Zealand waters.

Tiny the turtle returns to wild
The juvenile green turtle named Tiny is being released back into the wild after spending two years at Kelly Tarltons.

Care call after dog swallows fish hook
A dog owner is pleading for fishermen to take care after her young dog swallowed a fish hook on the beach and needed major surgery costing $2500.

Tigers chewing up bulk of wildlife funding in India
Almost half of India’s wildlife funding goes to the Bengal tiger, recent reports have shown.

Dog dumped with litter of newborn puppies
A pitbull dog dumped on the side of a country road with a litter of seven newborn puppies was suffering and critically ill from having an unborn puppy still inside her.

Sue Kedgley: Let's stop horsing about on labels
It's interesting how a food scare on the other side of the world can create ripples right around the globe, writes Sue Kedgley.

Deer farm worker sacked after disease outbreak
A deer farm worker who was dismissed after more than 20 animals died from disease has been awarded more than $12,000.

Westminster Kennel Club show
More than 2,700 dogs of 187 breed and varieties have been on display at 137th the annual canine competition. Two new breeds, the Russell terrier and the Treeing Walker coonhound, will be introduced in the contest. It has been the biggest entry in 15 years and the award pets' owners are waiting for is The Best in Show, which will be announced later today.

Orphaned penguins in full-time care
Looking after the chicks orphaned by the mysterious deaths of adult yellow-eyed penguins on Otago Peninsula has become a fulltime job.

Crisis widens with tainted spag bol
Tesco has revealed that some of its frozen Everyday Value Spaghetti Bolognese contains more than 60 per cent horsemeat.

Appeals for Dunedin rodeo ban
The International Rodeo could be barred from returning to Forsyth Barr Stadium if the Dunedin City Council agrees to a plea from animal rights group Safe.

Penguin deaths 'absolutely devastating'
Bodies of more than 40 endangered yellow-eyed penguins have been found on Otago Peninsula, raising concerns of a repeat "mass mortality" event in 1990.

Brendan Moyle: Legal ivory trade not cause of elephant poaching
I visited China for a research project on the ivory trade in January. It took two years of groundwork first.

Lynn Charlton: Rodeo fun just a theatre of cruelty
At two rodeos last month I watched as many in the crowd looked on, sealed off to the meaning of struggling frightened animals, writes Lynn Charlton.