Minnelli by the way finds creature (6)
I believe the answer is:
lizard
'creature' is the definition.
(lizard is a kind of animal)
'minnelli by the way' is the wordplay.
'minnelli' becomes 'liza' (I've seen this in another clue).
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'the way' becomes 'rd' (short for road).
'liza'+'rd'='LIZARD'
'finds' is the link.
(Other definitions for lizard that I've seen before include "Long reptile with two legs" , "Chameleon, perhaps" , "Reptile such as skink" , "Two-legged reptile" , "Reptile with four legs and long tail" .)