Latest fromPets & Animals

Husky a diabetic's best friend
When Vicki Parry's highly trained Siberian husky nudges forcefully into her leg, she knows it's time to do a diabetes test of her blood-sugar level.

Animal testing 'essential' - Dunne
Peter Dunne warned Government that banning the synthetic drug testing on animals would give momentum to wider campaigns to remove all animal trials.

Talk to the Animals: The demise of Maui's dolphin
"It is no longer the domain of the 'environmentalist', angry or otherwise to care about the plight of our wildlife, it is up to all New Zealanders."

Shot native falcon 'very lucky'
A native falcon may have lost some of its sight and will spend weeks recovering after being shot.

Goodall treated to VIP zoo tour
There was no mistaking what the main attraction was at Auckland Zoo today, as renowned chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall came into view.

Whaling's 30 year impact on Humpback
It will take another three decades for the Southern Hemisphere's humpback whale population to recover from the slaughter of the whaling era, scientists say.

Australia: Killing you with their cuteness
Winston Aldworth writes in praise of Australia's cuties.

A face only a mother could love
Ugly is in the eye of the beholder - especially for the judges of 29 dogs vying to win the annual Sonoma-Marin Fair's Ugly Dog Contest.

No bull: Bruised Fonz is my hero
As James Hemopo lay injured and helpless while a bull charged at him, Fonz, his farm dog, fended off the beast.

Work's going to the dogs
Most work days, you'll find Harry, Ziggy and Jed at their central Auckland office enjoying long naps on the couch or under their desks and later taking relieving afternoon strolls.

Dog saves owner from bull
A plucky dog named ‘The Fonz’ has saved his owner from being charged by an angry bull on a farm near Taihape.

Fish have feelings too
Fish have feelings and intelligence on a par with other animals and deserve better consideration of their welfare - expert

Smith: 'Small' risk to Maui's dolphin
Conservation Minister Nick Smith says the risk to the tiny number of Maui's dolphins from a new block of land listed for oil and gas exploration is 'small'.

Stag party finds 3m-year-old 'elephant'
It's The Hangover-meets-Jurassic Park. While most stag parties involve paintballing, the pub or a strip club, one group of friends spent did some impromptu palaeontology.

Eerie spiderweb photo goes viral
An eerie photo of millions of spiders fleeing flooded farmland in Hikurangi last week has gone viral, after it was posted by a popular science Facebook page.

Talk to the Animals: Do Kiwis hate cats?
Does pest status take away an animal's right to be treated humanely?

About that dog story ...
The owner of a world-famous dog found floating on a log near Great Barrier Island this week has spoken - and this fishy dog's tale is not all it seemed.

Dog on a log goes viral
A dog, which had been washed out to sea following this week's wild storm, was rescued by the Navy and has now become an overnight sensation.

Jane Goodall: On a crusade
becoming an octogenarian has only ramped up Jane Goodall’s globe-trekking schedule, because there’s far too much to be done to pause for a breather.

Dog washed out to sea rescued by Navy
A dog which had been washed out to sea was rescued by the Navy, following this week’s wild storm.

Feeling anxious? Crayfish too
Crayfish can feel anxious, according to a new study showing that "human" emotions are more widespread among animals than previously thought.

Family dog's biosecurity nose
A different kind of detector dog is set to be introduced near airports soon that will hunt out snakes, birds and other reptiles that may find their way into the country.

Cat lady fights for name suppression
The Invercargill woman charged with keeping too many cats on her city property is continuing the fight to keep her name secret.

Baby rhino captures hearts
Ababy rhino who was unable to sleep on his own after seeing his mother brutally killed by poachers for her horn, has captured the hearts of staff at a centre documenting his progress.

Storm damage closes zoo
The Auckland Zoo has shut its gates for the day after wild winds damaged their Pridelands exhibit overnight.

Kiwi nan's safari pics stun
Robyn Preston is a mother of five and grandmother of seven from a small community near Dargaville. We meet the photographer who now spends at least half the year in Africa.

Why 'doggie daycare' is so popular
More Auckland pet owners are turning to "doggie daycare" options that offer door-to-door service and activities including agility and search and retrieval classes.