WE DESPERATELY NEED PET THERAPY VOLUNTEERS
Do you or any friends or family members have an exceptionally social and well-mannered animal? We’re currently looking for new SPCA Outreach Therapy Pet Volunteers.
We believe that pet therapy can help people in institutions where they may feel isolated and lonely. As a volunteer with the programme, you (and your pet!) will be bringing joy and comfort to people in rest homes, hospitals, and mental health wards.
Prior to being accepted into the programme, all animals undergo an assessment that measures their sociability, temperament, obedience and confidence. Unfortunately we are unable to accept animals that show signs of fearfulness or aggression. Animals are also required to undergo a Vet Health Check to ensure they are vaccinated, microchipped, desexed and in good health. Volunteers who are accepted will receive training and be placed at a facility they can continue to visit (typically weekly or fortnightly) on an ongoing basis.
If you and your animal are interested in volunteering with Outreach Therapy Pets please visit our website for more information and to apply.
Thank you for offering to share the joy your animal gives you with others.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.7% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.6% Critical thinking
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30% Resilience and adaptability
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2.7% Other - I will share below!
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
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