More than 2500 charges have been laid against dog owners in the past five years - though a pet safety expert believes many more cases never go to court.

Any dolphin or whale stranding experienced live is deeply moving; particularly when you end up accompanying an individual to the end of its life.

Starving black bears from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been creeping into nearby residential neighbourhoods and tourist areas.

A group of cage divers got a closer encounter with a great white shark than they were expecting.

A breakthrough by researchers has revealed amazing new insights into the patterns of southern right whales, which could aid efforts to preserve the endangered ocean giants.

A 6-year-old boy is recovering in hospital with facial injuries after being bitten in the face by a dog.

A family of orcas entertained hundreds of onlookers when they visited the Viaduct Harbour in downtown Auckland today.

The seal enjoys a brief moment of elegant beauty as a whale lifts him majestically into the air.

TradeMe has removed an auction for a prized bulldog because the owner said he would only consider selling to a white person.

When it comes to birds, the ladies are just as capable of glamming up their style as the blokes are - just only when they need to.

A horse bolted and flipped over a fence and a line of cars piled up in a crash after fireworks were set off on the side of a busy Auckland road.

A man who told a Swiss TV show he likes to eat cats has sparked outrage.

Upsized detector dogs might be bred from new puppies acquired by the Ministry for Primary Industries to guard against diseases from crossing New Zealand's borders.

The life cycle of a Dunedin cat, Louie, nearly ended after he went through a wash cycle. Source: ODT/YouTube

The SPCA has cast light on acts of cruelty against animals in conjunction with its annual appeal.

Pet owners should have their animals' beds ready for them inside ahead of Guy Fawkes celebrations next week.

Forest and Bird said drone footage released today showed dead and dying native trees across Northland.

The critically-endangered Maui dolphin has topped a list of New Zealand's 10 "rarest of the rare" endangered species.

Ian Tarei is waiting. After countless nights sitting in the bush, in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, it's something he's become familiar with. On this cloudless, starry October evening, the reason he is waiting is perched on a nest just a hundred or so metres down an old loggers track, deep inside a cosy burrow.

Dog lovers have accused the Queen's Sandringham estate of putting their pets' lives at risk by failing to warn them about a killer disease in its woodland.

Three of Auckland Zoo's best-loved characters are departing overseas.

New Zealand scientists are getting up close and personal with giant humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean. Geoff Cumming explains why.

Drone footage of Raoul Island and video by underwater cameraman Steve Hathaway offer a glimpse into the value of the Kermadecs as a convergence zone for species from both temperate and sub-tropical regions.

Salmon are dying in unprecedented numbers, and scientists are working to establish whether bacteria never before found in NZ is to blame.

Hundreds of fraudulent votes cast through fake email addresses.

Wellington Zoo is opening a new precinct in time for Labour Weekend described as a "love story to Aotearoa New Zealand".

Would you like a cat with your coffee? A feline loving lawyer has plans for mixing moggies with mochas.

Four years ago the Hauraki Gulf Forum's "State of our Gulf" report warned of widespread decline in the condition of its water and birds and marine life.

IMAGE WARNING: Images in this article may disturb. Animal rescuers say a tiny ape found in cardboard box is one of the worst cases of neglect they have seen.