Smokey the goat was never a likely best friend for Madelaine Young's retriever poodle, Teddy.

Two youths have been charged after police found 22 sheep crammed in a van in Gisborne this morning.

Chow Chow dogs, painted and dyed to look like panda bears, have been seized from an Italian circus.

The move to grant an orang-utan in Argentina some legal rights enjoyed by humans could open the floodgates to thousands of similar cases.

A newly discovered beetle has been named after television naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

There are aliens living amongst us, not little green men but foreign animal species from ecosystems far away, writes Sally Hibbard.

An Argentine court has granted "habeas corpus" to a female orangutan at the Buenos Aires Zoo and recognised basic rights for her as a "non-human individual" to live in semi-freedom with other large primates.

A rare native bird has been released back into the wild a month on from a stormy rescue by a Hamilton police officer.

Tears have flowed at a Mosgiel kindergarten the week before Christmas after thieves stole two guinea pigs, beloved pets for five years.

In the long story of the Hauraki Gulf, humans have been in the picture for mere moments.

There is an astonishing array of goods and services available for pets. With some trepidation, Sally Hibbard set out to find the strangest of them.

A far north Queensland community is grieving the death of an 18-year-old man who was attacked by a shark in front of shocked friends.

For those who didn’t know, Zooey Deschanel is an enthusiastic equestrian, who has competed in numerous competitions.

Losing a pet can be tough for both the animal and its owner, so the SPCA is once again pushing the importance of having pets micro-chipped.

A man whose dog was chased by police, pepper sprayed and unlawfully shot dead has received an official apology.

From potential taxes on sugary drinks to the ancestry of our kiwi, science has offered plenty of headlines this year.

1. When did you first see Jaws?

Perth beachgoers are being urged to take extra care after a spate of shark sightings.

A shark attack expert says Western Australia's policy is like the Hollywood blockbuster movie 'Jaws'.

There was no shortage of animal stories making news this past year, though sadly most have not been especially positive.

With a relentless look of malevolence Grumpy Cat is not exactly cute. But her owner believes she's "unstoppable".

It is the sound synonymous with the start of a new day.

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

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.

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.

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

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