I remember the moment my mother brought home our first chick, Victoria, better than I remember most of my birthdays. It was a warm, spring afternoon, and we came home from school to find my mother had finally started the flock she'd been wanting for so long. Looking at the downy fluff of Victoria's body and her scrawny, dinosaur legs, it occurred to me then, as an eight-year-old, that I'd never really observed a bird up close before. Birds were probably my least favourite creatures, what with their beady eyes and sharp beaks, but Victoria was something else. She chirped in her sleep and made a mess of her water bowl and responded to treats just like all the puppies I'd loved before her.

Look at this freaking thing. It's all ballooning and sharp and you wouldn't want to run into it in a dark alley. This is just one of the amazing images that you can find on Nature Is F***ing Lit, one of the best subreddits I've ever stumbled on to.

Ever wondered how horses go from being wild, free-spirited animals to people's most faithful travel companion? Grab your lasso, put on your cowboy hat, and get ready to become a horse whisperer. I mean, you'll probably never need to tame your own horse, but if you did, this is how the masters do it.

An emerging trend among pet owners is the practice of feeding dogs and cats raw meat. This idea is that we should put our domestic cats and dogs on diets that more closely approximate what they might eat in nature. New research from Europe shows the surprising degree to which germs and parasites can be found in commercial raw-meat products - posing potential health risks to both pets and their owners.

Service dogs have an important job to do, but that doesn't make them any less cute. If you want to say hello to or pat a service dog, follow these guidelines to greet them the right way.

Your cat knows what's up. Even if she doesn't run and hide at the sight of her carrier, there's no way she's going into that thing without a fight. But the fight stresses her out and can leave you frustrated and scratched up -- not to mention late for the vet. Enter the kitty burrito.

Australia is notorious for its menagerie of venomous and man-eating animals. While most foreigners are aware of the saltwater croc, brown snake, white pointer and funnel-web spider, there are countless other critters lurking in the Aussie wilderness that are equally unpleasant and/or deadly. Here's a handy bestiary to show annoying overseas relatives so they don't come visiting.

Cats are great. They're awesome cuddlers and are cute as heck. But sometimes they're also jerks. Like when they step all over your face in the middle of the night. So, you close your bedroom door and they meow and scratch until you let them back in. Here's how to get them to stop so you can get some sleep.

In Pieces is an interactive environmental protection site where you can learn about your favourite animal, what's killing them, and where you can donate to help.

Australia is renowned worldwide for our venomous and poisonous creatures, from snakes, spiders and ticks on land, to lethal jellyfish, stingrays and stonefish in our waters. Even the shy platypus can inflict excruciating pain if handled without due care.

Yet while injuries and deaths caused by venomous snakes and jellyfish are often sensationalised in the media, and feared by international visitors, a recent review found that very few “deadly” Australian animals actually cause deaths.

Massaging your dog sounds a little crazy, sure -- but if you want to pamper your pet, there may be real benefits to giving your dog the spa treatment.

Dogs are the best people, so it's only natural to want to smother them with affection when you greet them. Most of them are too nice to say it, but this is actually a terrible way to introduce yourself to a dog. Here's how to make a more appropriate first impression.

In the back of your mind, you probably realise that nature documentaries aren't literally nonfiction depictions of actual things that happened in nature. As it turns out, many of the techniques and tricks used in Hollywood movies are also applied to nature documentaries -- even when the footage is real.

While the chances of getting attacked by a shark are much less likely than a dog attack, you just never know, especially if you're out surfing, swimming or diving in open waters. We hope you never have to use these tips, but here's what you should know.

Judging by the level of interest in our release-date post, a lot of you are keen to get your hands on a copy of Planet Earth II. For a limited time, you can score 20 per cent off the sticker price of the DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD at JB Hi-Fi. Here are the details.

Hopefully, you'll never be in a situation where you have to use these tips, but they might just come in handy to help you handle a dog attack. In this Business Insider video, a former Navy SEAL tells you what you need to know to protect yourself.

I recently had to go through the heartbreaking process of saying goodbye to a pet. My cat, Rudy, was old and in pain. It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make, but it was time to let her go. Although it was a sad experience, I was grateful she was able to stay at home for the process and that I was able to stay by her side.

Seeing wildlife up close is one of the most thrilling parts of exploring the outdoors, and you may be tempted to feed the animals to tempt them to come closer. Here's why you should never feed them, no matter how much you want to.

Cats who work for their food seem to be happier and healthier, so stuffing food into a toy isn't just a hobby for you. It's a way to reduce your cat's stress and keep them from getting bored. Need ideas? Food Puzzles for Cats is here for you.