Pet owners are spending up to $250 to get special photos of their pets with Santa Claus.

A Coromandel harbourmaster has posted that he was stood down after saving an orca which got its tail caught in a cray pot last night.

Source: Youtube/MargaretRican

A women filmed a squirrel's repeated theft of her Christmas light bulbs - one by one, the "Bulb Bandit" made off with 150 in 24 hours.

Brownie lived a life of abuse and agony. Finally, she was bashed about the head with a claw hammer and the open wounds were left to become maggot-infested, in one of the most severe and disturbing cases the SPCA has seen.

Join Ectotherm and Birds curator Richard Gibson on a sneak peek tour through our new Strangely Beautiful Australia.

Another vet has weighed into the debate about female vets saying women don't want to own their own practices because they "just want to come to work and go again".

Massey University's Chris Kelly has resigned after he said a female veterinary graduate was worth only "two-fifths"of a full-time veterinarian.

A German tourist received nasty bites when he crossed paths with a "grumpy seal" at Abel Tasman National Park.

The beautiful beastly creatures of Australia will roam a new enclosure at Auckland Zoo.

Reminiscent of the Murray-Darling region of southeast Australia, there are giant stick insects, eastern snake-necked turtles, redback spiders, lace monitors and vibrant Australian birds. Meet the strangely beautiful wildlife of Australia at Auckland Zoo this summer!

Massey University chancellor Chris Kelly said a woman graduate is less of a vet because she has to take time out for marriage and family.

Viewers of the BBC nature documentary series had been left concerned for the welfare of the newly-hatched turtles, after learning that their natural instincts had been altered by man-made lights. Source: BBC

The BBC has flouted Sir David Attenborough's own rule never to interfere in nature, after it told worried fans of Planet Earth II that a film crew had intervened to rescue stranded baby turtles.

Fewer animals were used in experiments in New Zealand in 2015 but a bigger proportion didn't survive their tests, according to new figures.

With some of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, Kiwis love their furry companions.

Source: MPI Detector Dogs. A first time crossbreed of Beagle and Harrier Hound has led to this adorable litter of purpose-bred super sniffers.

Cross between a beagle and a harrier hound created to protect New Zealand's borders is believed to be a world first.

A dying man's beloved dog was brought to his hospital bedside to say goodbye after he suffered a brain haemorrhage.

This is the moment a three-and-a-half-metre long olive python called Sprinkles devoured an entire rabbit for her dinner.

COMMENT: Blame internet giants for allowing fake news to spread globally.

Three weeks on from a theft, where six puppies were stolen, SPCA Turangi has had no word on the fate of the young animals.

We all know the pain of that person who's impossible to buy for - but what about the furry companion in your life?

A rabbit has been left with puncture wounds after it was shot with arrows five times.

Source: Facebook / Stacey Bell

It turns out it's not just us humans that like to celebrate Christmas.

"We want to believe that this little varmint is decorating his nest, but really, we think that he believes these to be food."

Some cats treat their owners to the odd dead bird or mouse, but Bear the cross-eyed Tonkinese brings home gifts of a different kind.

The elephant keeper who punched a kangaroo to save his beloved dog will keep his job at Taronga Zoo.

One of Australia's leading kangaroo experts has weighed in on the confrontation that sent the world into a meltdown.