The 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition wraps this Friday and the photographers are in the running for the coveted title

A Wellington firefighter had to be winched from steep terrain after a cat took exception to being rescued from a macrocarpa tree.

1. Hot-diggity-dog Take the Dachshund-as-hotdog costume to the next level by being the hotdog seller. Your sausage dog will be happy

Ever wondered what features in your pet's dreams? A Harvard researcher has the answers.

This "supermodel" dog has become a social media sensation thanks to her impossibly luscious locks.

Concerns quality vets are being turned away from the industry has prompted Massey University to overhaul the criteria for qualification.

'The dog ate my brownie': Tasty "edibles" such as muffins and cookies that people consume for a buzz are also appealing to animals, who can't read warning labels.

The family of a much loved dog is devastated after it escaped from a high security dog pound and was found dead three days later near the Paraparaumu railway tracks.

A parrot's saucy words lead a woman to believe her husband was having an affair with their housemaid.

Source: Jane Tarrant / Facebook. Jane Tarrant had an unexpected close encounter near Mahia

She's got style, she's got grace, she's also an Afghan hound who has more online fans than most internet celebrities.

It wasn't quite the cat-up-a-tree cliche, but it was something near-enough that gave a Wellington fire crew a memorable call-out for the long weekend.

Massaging away aches and pains isn't only a treat for those with two legs, and the number of people getting their pooches professionally patted is growing.

Dog owners are paying up to $85 an hour for massage therapy for their four-legged friends. Helen Morphew from Auckland Canine Massage speaks to the Herald about her job.

Possum patties for pooches were on offer in Remuera yesterday, all in the name of protecting our native bird.

Allan Dixon is parlaying a childhood spent taking videos and photos into a way of life.

Possum patties are on the menu for Auckland’s pooches attending the Great Dog Morning Tea on Friday 21 October. The free event, hosted by Kiwis for kiwi, the national charity that supports community-led kiwi conservation projects, celebrates Save Kiwi Month and aims to encourage all dog owners to help keep kiwi safe.

Air passengers were shocked to see what they thought were snakes on a plane flying from Merauke, Papua to Jakarta, but Indonesian carrier Garuda insists they were legless lizards.

An autistic boy who cannot be touched has struck up a special bond with a service dog he flew thousands of miles to meet.

Daniel the Duck won over the internet this week, but he's not the only farmyard animal to take to the skies.

Source: Günaydin Denizli

Video posted two days ago shows another terrifying incident at the Great White Shark hotspot Guadalupe Island.

A snoozing fur seal has been moved on from a Dunedin cyclepath - again.

Wellingtonians can have a group of kittens brought to their home for an hour and a half of play ... at a starting bid of only $1.

A seal who decided to sleep on a busy Dunedin road got his own police escort

A Bhutan Airlines flight was on its final approach when a goat on the runway forced it to abandon its landing

Source: YouTube: A zedonk is a type of zebroid, the offspring of any cross between a zebra and any other equine.

Kiwi ingenuity - and a bit of masking tape - has saved a kiwi chick, after its egg was badly damaged, endangering its life.

Source: YouTube: elephantnews

Young elephant Kham Lha reaches out with her trunk to save the trainer who rescued her as a baby.