Researchers studying the effects of climate change on polar bears are experimenting with the idea of crowdsourcing data as improving technology allows anybody with an internet connection to monitor the animals' annual migration in Canada.

Black swans run over by a boat, a pet sheep bashed and set on fire, and fowl found stuffed in a chest of drawers have topped the SPCA's 2013 List of Shame.

Sumeet Satishwar captured these incredible images of a dead shark's pups at Muriwai Beach.

SPCA launched its annual appeal today with two of its world-famous driving dogs 'digging deep' for bags of money on Auckland's Kohimarama Beach.

An actual party animal has become a worldwide sensation after his night out with a bunch of French revellers went viral.

More Aucklanders than ever were bitten, butted and bruised by dogs last year as record levels of claims for dog-inflicted injuries were reported.

The owner of a horse that lost litres of blood after being frightened by the neighbours' fireworks is calling on people to think about pets this Guy Fawkes' night.

A 90-year-old woman was knocked to the ground by two dogs, which then ripped her miniature Yorkshire terrier from her arms and mauled it to death in front of her.

Driving dog Monty is heading for the big screen.

Exotic dung beetles cleared for release in New Zealand could become flying "faecal bombs", says a review of belated research into health risks from the insects.

A 43-year-old beekeeper went into "venom overload" after he was stung up to 50 times on the head and neck by a swarm of bees.

The second man convicted for his part in beating 23 fur seals to death on the Kaikoura Coast has been sentenced to eight months' home detention.

One of two oarfish found in California waters earlier this month had a host of parasites living in its giant, serpent-like body.

Solving problems isn't exclusively human but working out how animals do it is tricky, writes Clint J. Perry.

Game over. Cats have won the internet. At least that was the conclusion among the many attendees of the internet Cat Video Festival.

People who farm unusual breeds tell Dionne Christian why they find it so appealing.

Former fashion Writer Stacy Gregg lived vicariously as a real-life princess while writing her latest book, she tells Suzanne McFadden.

Poachers in Zimbabwe have killed more than 300 elephants and countless other safari animals by cyanide poisoning.

A Canterbury school is mourning the loss of a "devoted and passionate" teacher who was accidentally run over and killed by her husband last night.

Did the cat come back? Mid-Canterbury's elusive black panther may have moved south, with a new sighting of a cat-like animal feasting on road kill.

A British scientist says he may have solved the mystery of the Abominable Snowman - the elusive ape-like creature of the Himalayas. He thinks it's a bear.