ANIMALS?!?!?!? How to have pets as a student. Kind of.

Posted 9:14pm Sunday 27th April 2025 by Tilly Rumball-Smith

Kiwis own more pets per household than almost anyone else in the world, so it comes as a bit of a culture shock to leave that behind for studenthood. Many of us grew up with household pets who, unfortunately, remained in the household when we moved out. Without us realising, our final year of high Read more...

SPCA Investigates Claims of Expo Animal Abuse

Posted 6:59pm Saturday 13th July 2024 by Hanna Varrs

A recent ‘Exotic Pet Expo’ in the North East Valley has caused community uproar as allegations of false advertising and animal abuse pour in from community members. Organiser Amelia Seales, who has run the event twice before, has firmly denied any wrong-doing.  The expo, held on Read more...

Debatable: Should animal testing be banned?

Posted 5:13pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Otago University Debating Society

Debatable is a column written by the Otago University Debating Society. The Debating Society welcomes new members and meets at the Business School every Tuesday at 6pm. For  Animal testing dates back to BC times, and has led to numerous medical and biological advancements, many of them Read more...

Littlest Hall Pets: The Pets of Campus

Posted 9:09pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Monty O’Rielly

Disclaimer: I know these are not all of the animals around! These are the ones we managed to get permission to include, and had time to visit. If there are more I missed, feel free to tell me where to find them, monty@critic.co.nz. Missing your dog back home? Mid-terms getting you down? Need Read more...

In the Eyes of the Beholder: Dunedin Art Reviews

Posted 2:18pm Sunday 19th March 2023 by Fox Meyer

Callout: This column is supported by DPAG, but they have no influence on the reviews   Every week, we send two writers to an art exhibit in Ōtepoti Dunedin. One of them will choose a specific piece, and describe it to the other without them looking. They’ll try to figure out Read more...

Could you take Dunedin's wildlife in battle?

Posted 5:14pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Elliot Weir

Many of Dunedin’s wild critters can be found throughout your adventures at Otago. Some can be your allies, some will be your enemies, but all deserve your respect: both as opponents and as original residents of Ōtepoti. It’s dangerous to go alone, weary traveller. Take this guide to Read more...

Vegan Bake Sale Raises Money for Animals and Vegans in Ukraine

Posted 9:26am Sunday 15th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday 7th May, the Dunedin Ōtepoti Vegan Society (DŌVeS) held a bake sale for Ukraine on the Museum Reserve. What link does veganism have with Ukraine and what does buying baked vegan treats achieve? Critic Te Arohi went along to find out. DŌVeS originally hatched the idea of Read more...

Axolotl Pair Left Out to Dry

Posted 1:20pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Keegan Wells

Two axolotte (plural of axolotl) were left outside on the footpath of Forth Street last week. A rescue was attempted by Amelia Seals, owner of 131 axolotte, but the animals were never recovered. The axolotl is a Mexican amphibian, a type of salamander, and a common house pet. They remain aquatic Read more...

Delectable Specimens: The tastiest creatures in Otago Museum’s nature galleries

Posted 4:15pm Sunday 16th May 2021 by Denzel Chung

For most children, a trip to the aquarium was a source of wide-eyed wonder. Great shoals of fish swarming left and right, majestic ocean creatures dancing a delicate underwater ballet despite being the size of a large car, the brightness and vibrancy of swaying sea plants.  I was not one of Read more...

Feathery Friends & Funky Fiends: A guide to finding wildlife in and around Dunedin

Posted 4:16pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Elliot Weir

Friends, it’s time to see some wildlife other than the stray cats on Leith Street and the cockroaches in your bathroom. Leave North Dunedin, and experience the natural world at its finest. Even David Attenborough reckons you should.  We are surrounded by some incredible ecosystems in Read more...