The family who adopted Trooper - the puppy that was rescued after being found outside the Gate Pa shops, in Tauranga, with its ears chopped off - say he is settling in to his new home very well.

The pit bull puppy found in a Tauranga shopping area with his ears chopped off will head to a loving new home today.

Tauranga residents are concerned they are dealing with a serial animal abuser after a kitten was violently thrown against a door and killed this morning - the third horrific act of animal cruelty in the city in a month.

Animal protection inspectors are closing in on offenders responsible for cutting off the ears of an eight-week-old pitbull puppy.

A man is defending accusations that he held a rabbit by its ears and thrust it at passers-by in Auckland's Queen Street.

A furious Tauranga family are demanding justice after an air rifle attack on their beloved cat left it with three legs.

Ross Allan says his children are distraught after their $1000 Abyssinian moggy was shot dead by a neighbour who thought it was feral.

In a disaster, cats head for the hills, but dogs stick around, according to SPCA figures out today.

When neighbours complained of the noise and smell emanating from the local SPCA, the council was bound to investigate.

A golden retriever puppy needed emergency surgery after cutting off the side of his nose running away in panic when the quake hit.

It wasn't just humans shaken by the big quake - hundreds of terrified pets fled during the tremors.