Do badly behaved dogs start out that way or are they are helped along by their owners? Animal behaviour expert Sally Hibbard tackles the question.

If there was ever a reason not to be nosey, then this video is it. And if you happen to be an arachnophobe, the scenes here are the stuff of your darkest nightmares.

A horse spooked by New Year's Eve fireworks in the Bay of Islands has died from a horrific leg injury.

Bessie is a 9-month-old whippet who was rescued after being thrown from a car.

A giant python has suffocated and killed a security guard at a luxury beachfront hotel on the holiday island of Bali, Indonesia.

As the old Italian proverb goes, happy is the home with at least one cat.

Nina is a 1-year-old cat that prefers living in a quiet atmosphere as she becomes overwhelmed by loud noises.

Lying flat on the dirt in a Namibian desert, Stephen Belcher was just 30m away from a hunting leopard.

Cado is a playful puppy, full of life and energy and always smiling. He came to the SPCA in mid-2013 and is hoping to have an owner by the time 2014 rolls in.

Wanted: heavy earth-moving equipment to help rescue Princess Jury's "baby" from the mud.

Lying on the floor of a research boat off the coast of South Africa in treacherous waters, NZ photographer Chris McLennan knew he had to stay focused.

A firefighter turned "dog whisperer", the mystery of the South Island black panther and wild otters in Southland all made headlines this year.

Researchers have found the earliest case of cat domestication, along with the first direct evidence of how it may have happened.

These domestic shorthair tabby kittens are playful and loveable. They get along well so would love to be adopted together.

Dope growers have been blamed for the death of a "beautiful" young kiwi chick that was being monitored by the Department of Conservation.

Good news for dog owners everywhere – your canine friend does recognise your face, according to new research.

The Auckland SPCA has halved the cost of adopting cats and kittens over the Xmas period, saying it is at "crisis point" with too many feline arrivals.

A former Kennel Club judge and his wife, who were banned from caring for animals for 20 years, have had their application for appeal dismissed.

Online retailer ASOS has joined a host of upmarket shops in banning angora products over a viral video exposing the cruelty that rabbits suffer.

'It's not the sort of thing you'd want to come across when you're getting the paper from the mailbox.' A fur seal surprised Dunedin residents yesterday.

Fisherman airlifted to hospital after fish's barb just misses an artery in his leg.

Four new Tasmanian devils have been welcomed to Wellington Zoo today.