Redwood Veterinary Clinic

15/07/2026

Please follow MPI guidelines if you see a sick bird

Biosecurity New Zealand is asking everyone to be alert after H5 bird flu was detected here in a single ocean-going seabird.

The bird was found on Petone Beach in the Wellington region, and testing confirmed H5 bird flu (H5N1 avian influenza).

This is the first detection of H5 bird flu in New Zealand. It hasn't been found in any other birds and there are no detections in poultry.

New Zealand is well prepared to respond and protect poultry production, and to reduce impacts on wildlife and communities.

Be alert and use good habits to limit the impact of bird flu.
• Keep your distance: Stay away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep pets away too.
• Keep clean: Wash your hands and clean your gear after being outdoors.
• Know when to report: If you see three or more sick or dead birds, report them to the exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

We have extensive resources available, including on what to look out for and do/don’t, here: https://bit.ly/4gEC9E8

08/07/2026

27/02/2026

We love a good reunion story 🐈🏡❤️

✨ Miracles can happen - reunited after 5 years missing! 🐾

Young Bowie, a unique, light-ginger tabby cat, was just one year old when he disappeared from his home and was missing for five years. According to his guardian, one day he just simply didn’t come home. They searched everywhere for him - including putting up posters, offering a reward, sharing posts in community groups, and contacting their local vets with no luck... yet never truly giving up hope, even as the years passed.

Then recently, something remarkable happened!

Bowie was discovered living underneath a house nearly 40 kilometres from where he went missing! A kind member of the public had been feeding him for a couple of months whilst trying to gain his trust to get him checked for a microchip. They were unaware that he belonged to someone who had been missing him for five incredibly long years.

And here’s where the story becomes pure magic. Bowie has two different coloured eyes, one blue and one green - a unique feature that makes him unforgettable. The person caring for him noticed those striking eyes and, without knowing his history or name, started calling him… Bowie. The exact same name his family had given him years earlier!

When that kind member of the public was finally able to get his microchip scanned, they reached out to our support office who were able to contact his original guardian. That initial phone call that Bowie’s guardian had long hoped for and the reunion itself was very emotional.

“After 5 years, standing there and seeing him again felt surreal…like a miracle we never stopped hoping for,” according to Bowie’s guardian.

He was a little uncertain at first and no longer their tiny one-year-old wee boy anymore, but undeniably their Bowie! Since their incredible reunion, he has settled in well and has made himself right at home again where he belongs!

Stories like this are a great reminder of why microchipping and keeping your details up to date on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register matters so much.

Microchips don’t expire, and hope doesn’t either! Welcome home, Bowie! 💙💚🐾

13/01/2026

Missing from Kainga