Four dogs are still waiting for homes after being with Auckland's SPCA for more than six months - equating to a seven-year sentence for humans.

A woman who appealed her conviction over a horse's death had her conviction thrown out but an alternative one was imposed.

Waikato SPCA is subject to a pending investigation by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in relation to "suspected offending under the Animal Welfare Act".

Nobody really knows the reason for the popularity of cats, and if they do know they find it difficult to express it in words, writes Bob Kerridge.

Inmates at Rolleston Prison have been showing their softer side, knitting blankets for abandoned and homeless animals rescued by the SPCA.

If New Zealand's SPCA follows the lead of Australia's RSPCA, racing connections of horses found to have cobalt in their systems could face conviction through the courts.

An Auckland man has been ordered to complete community service after his pet dog was found almost starved to death after being fed instant noodles.

An Auckland woman who treated her dog so badly it had to be euthanised has been banned from owning pets for 10 years.

A man who wired together the beaks of three chickens to "make them quiet" has been convicted in the North Shore District Court.

Feel like a cuteness overload? The SPCA is currently live streaming four fuzzy kittens as part of an adoption drive.

A new review calling for bold and urgent measures to control roaming cats - including compulsory microchipping - has been criticised as flawed.

At the end of this month four rescue dogs will graduate as fully trained explosive detector dogs after completing an intensive nine weeks of training.

Puppy farms and dog fighting were topics Labour's animal welfare spokesman Trevor Mallard sank his teeth into at the SPCA Otago in Dunedin yesterday.

Half the 7375 dogs impounded in Auckland were destroyed in 2013-14 after being unclaimed by their owners and deemed unsuitable for adoption.

Authorities are investigating a photo of thin jersey cows being transported across Cook Strait to slaughter, which caused outrage after being shared on Facebook.

An injured horse on the side of a busy Auckland road had injured its leg after jumping a fence.

A man whose dog attacked and killed a protected New Zealand fur seal pup on a West Auckland beach has been fined $1000 and will have his dog put down.

The owner of a dog who was shot with an arrow by a police officer says she is disappointed no criminal charges will be laid against him.

Andrew and Fleur the cats were rescued by the SPCA from a house overrun by animals.

Sadie was found in a paddock of horses.

Whitey the hen is especially fond of bananas. Last year Whitey joined Lompie the rooster, Panda the cat and Gustav the sheep at Bianca Hill's lifestyle block in Flat Bush, Manukau.

Misty the dog was 2 years old when she was picked up by the SPCA. For some reason, Misty, like countless other dogs, had not been wanted by her previous owner.

Smokey the goat was never a likely best friend for Madelaine Young's retriever poodle, Teddy.

An Auckland woman who kept 50 cats living in disgusting conditions with serious infections and ailments has been sentenced for her neglect.

Losing a pet can be tough for both the animal and its owner, so the SPCA is once again pushing the importance of having pets micro-chipped.

An SPCA boss disgusted by how many dogs are starving in her patch will tomorrow begin a three-day hunger strike.

A Whangarei man who filmed himself nailing possums to trees and chopping off their limbs has topped the SPCA's annual list of animal abuse shame.

An Auckland man who crammed 38 dead cats into his freezer has been allowed to keep his three surviving felines but banned from acquiring any more.