An over-ambitious crocodile gave a thirsty elephant an unwanted surprise at a Zambian national park.

The SPCA is reviewing its procedures around dogs after a volunteer was mauled by a "family" dog that had shown no hint of aggression until it attacked.

Lloyd Esler describes himself as a "cold hard sceptic", but even he is starting to believe otters may have made themselves at home in Southland.

Princess Anne has suggested people in Britain should consider eating horse meat as it would help to improve the welfare of the animals.

Dogs may be man's best friend but, on many New Zealand farms, they are also often their best employees.

Several of New Zealand's most cherished birds - among them the kea and two types of albatross - have been shifted to a more serious conservation status following a national survey.

For years, scientists have been dogged by this evolution question: Just where did man's best friend first appear?

A farmer has been convicted of ill-treating an animal after his dogs were locked in filthy kennels so long one chewed off its own foot.

Shark finning will be banned in New Zealand waters under a government proposal announced today.

The SPCA has clipped the wings of a programme that looked after injured birds.

A runaway police dog named Zinny sparked an all-out search this week after bolting from a handler during a comfort stop.

Sequoia the dog is classified as a menace to the community, though she has done nothing wrong.

A giant wedge-tailed eagle has reportedly been blown off course from Australia and taken up residence on a coast west of Auckland.

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.

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.

Jemaal Large and Jason Godsiff waited until after dark, took galvanised steel pipes from their vehicles and bludgeoned 23 seals to death by inflicting crushed skulls and open wounds on them.

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.