Australia's wildlife has a fearsome reputation, and one that's not entirely unearned. We have some of the world's deadliest snakes and spiders, plus a whole corner of the coastline where going in the water basically means instant death. While these animals all strike fear in the hearts of even the most hardy of Aussies, the animals that are actually most likely to kill you might surprise you.

We all know the sound a happy cat makes. But did you realise a bunch of other animals also purr, including big arse polar bears? Neither did I.

Magpie swooping season is supposed to be nearly over - but it appears our black-and-white avian friends didn't get the memo. This week, Parliament House officials were forced to install alarms and fake hawks to stop magpies from attacking politicians and staff. Instead of waging war, it might make more sense to extend an olive branch.

We love to laugh at people outside of Australia under the mistaken belief that we ride kangaroos to work or keep them around as pets. But it does raise an interesting question: could you keep a kangaroo as a pet? Turns out you can... if you live in one particular state.

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.

No one goes into pet ownership expecting to have to give up their animal companion, but sometimes unexpected life changes make the decision unavoidable. As someone who was forced to relinquish a dog in the past, the emotions of loss, guilt and heartbreak are overwhelming.

That, combined with the implied time constraint, can make you overlook key steps in the rehoming process. It’s hard, but it doesn’t have to be as stressful as it seems. With some proper steps taken beforehand, you can reduce the likelihood you have to surrender your pet. If keeping your furry companion isn’t an option, you can follow these tips to make sure they find a home that is both amenable and accommodating to your animal.

Yesterday was International Cat Day, and the perfect way to celebrate is by enjoying the company of a local feline. Sadly, cat allergies prevent some cat admirers from enjoying their adorable smooshy faces.

But even if you’re terribly allergic, there are steps you can take to help alleviate symptoms and enjoy every day with these volatile furballs.

Meeting dogs is fun, so we get why you might want to meet all of them, even service dogs. But it’s crucial — lifesaving — that you recognise the difference between a pet and a dog that’s doing a job. As the blog Mashable explains, if you distract a service dog, you could endanger the life of its owner.

Kids watch movies before they’ve fully learned what’s real and what’s fiction. (One Lifehacker writer used to think that when people died in movies, the actor died in real life.) So sometimes you might need to explain to them how scary scenes were just pretend, and everyone is OK. When those scary scenes involve animals, you can get help from the American Humane Association.

My friend Sara tells this story about a road trip with her dog Dakota where somewhere during a 14-hour drive her Husky-mix got car sick and vomited all over the back of the car. Then, embarrassed by the vomit, managed to pee all over the back of the vehicle as well. Her car was never the same.

Chrome, Firefox: It's been a rough week for many of us and it's likely you're a little stressed out right now.

It's always a bit disappointing when a friend's cat wants nothing to do with you. Fair enough if it doesn't want to be touched or held, but as veterinarian Uri Burstyn shows, there are a few steps you can take to make sure you aren't actively contributing to its fear or disinterest.

This week we have a pair of sad dogs that aren't treated very well and a non-owner living in the same household who's concerned for their well-being. Is there a way to save the pooches from abuse and neglect?

Gorillas, the largest primates in the world, can stand up to 1.8m tall and weigh upwards of 180kg. They're normally very peaceful animals - more Koko and less King Kong - but a dominant silverback male has the strength of several men, and isn't afraid to use it to defend his troop.

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.