Latest fromPets & Animals

Watch: Meet Sassy the miniature horse
Sassy the miniature horse brings Northlanders happiness where ever she trots.

Why bed bugs are harder than ever to get rid of
New findings could explain why failures in the control of bed bug infestations are so common.

Editorial: Dog ownership carries heavy duty of care
Some owners will attest that their pet is as placid as any canine breed can be, but that is not saying very much. Many an owner of a normally docile dog knows it is not completely reliable.

Inky 'the great escape' Octopus a star
Animal rights group says octopus whose escape made headlines around the world was probably going crazy in its tank.

Kate Middleton: Orphan elephants and an earthquake
The Duchess of Cambridge is delighted by orphan elephants in India.

This won't be allowed under new rules
Dogs may no longer be able to travel on the back of cars on public roads without being secured under proposed changes to animal welfare rules.

Raybon Kan: Too many excuses for vicious dogs
COMMENT: You say your dangerous dog is a teddy bear? I say you're wrong, writes Raybon Kan.

Expert: Hit owners hard when dogs attack
Professor believes those who keep canine killers deserve to face manslaughter count.

Tauranga pool 'going to the dogs'
Dogs will be allowed to have the last splash at Memorial Pool before the complex closes its doors for the winter season.

Top 5: Signs your cat loves you
Compared to dogs, cats get a bad rap when it comes to friendliness and approachability. Many a dog lover will try to tell you cats just aren't as loveable.

Watch: Cuddly pets visit children's hospital
Children at a South Auckland hospital enjoyed a morning of pet therapy, spending time with cuddly new friends.

Kiwis in daytime brawl
What were these kiwi up to one sunny Stewart Island day? We're not exactly sure. One thing we do know - they're out past bedtime.

Watch: NZ spider has fastest jaws in the West
WATCH: They don't look like much, but these tiny trap-jaw spiders found only in NZ and southern South America are the Beauden Barretts of the arachnid world.

'Loving dolphins too much'
Bottlenose dolphins could disappear from the Bay of Islands if nothing is done to halt a decline apparently caused by too much interaction, a report warns.

Watch: Instagram diva Toast the rescue dog
There was too much sun, swimming, eating and zooming about in Jaguars and private helicopters, but Instagram diva Toast the dog took the Hamptons last summer and lived to write about it.

One man's wild idea for saving rhinos
This is how bad rhinoceros poaching has gotten in Africa: Increasingly, people who want to prevent the animals' extinction are relying on airlifts to save them.

Chimpanzee dies at Wellington Zoo
A 38-year-old chimpanzee at Wellington Zoo has died after a battle with heart disease.

Chihuahua brings traffic to a standstill
Watch: Police in San Francisco locked down a busy bridge to pursue a tiny dog who was on the run.

Second dog dies from mystery illness
The owners of a dog which died on Friday are wondering if their pooch has fallen victim to an unknown illness that killed another dog and affected three others last month.

Ark of images
National Geographic has started an ambitious project to document all 12,000 species in captivity - many of which are endangered.

Out of Africa
Just metres away, a giraffe spreads its front legs wide and lowers its long neck for a drink.

Top 5 dogs that love water
Most dogs love water but some love it more than others (and are better swimmers). Here's our list of pooches that love a splash:

Residents outraged at stingray dump
Westport residents are outraged a local fisherman allegedly dumped a sizeable dead stingray at North Beach earlier this week.

Rangers kill Mohawk the lion
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE - Mohawk the lion, one of Kenya's most famous big cats, was fatally shot by wildlife rangers after they ran out of tranquilisers.

No tranquilisers, so famous lion killed
Mohawk the lion, one of Kenya's most famous big cats, was fatally shot yesterday by wildlife rangers.