Kiwis take fish, rabbits, on holidays - survey

Dogs are the most common pet taken on holiday. File photo / Think Stock

More than half of Kiwi pet owners take their beloved animals on holiday with them, a new survey has revealed.

But it's not just dogs that get to enjoy a break - guinea pigs, birds and even fish are going away too.

The survey, by travel website Wotif.co.nz, found that more than half of Kiwi pet owners surveyed took their pets on holiday.

"Dogs are by far New Zealand's most travelled pet, with 85.1 per cent of respondents taking their pooch on holiday, while 11.9 per cent said they travelled with their cat and other travellers even admitted to taking their bird, rabbit, guinea pig or fish away," wotif spokeswoman Donna Rodios said.

Some animal lovers even smuggled their pets into accommodation which wasn't pet friendly, she said.

Hokitika woman Tracey Rich said she never considered leaving her rabbit Houdini at home, especially when he was young.

Houdini, who has since died, accompanied the family on various jaunts to Castle Hill and Karamea.

"We could have had friends look after him, but we just wanted to take him with us because he was just so wonderful. He was an amazing rabbit and he used to just run around with us like a dog or a cat."

Houdini was never an issue for accommodation owners and during winter holidays the rabbit enjoyed burrowing in the snow, Ms Rich said.

The only problem they had was when the pet lived up to his name by escaping his home-made travelling hutch.

"In some ways they're probably easier than a dog anyway, they're so little ... and very, very clean creatures."

Of owners who had to leave their beloved animals behind, more than 22 per cent of respondents took them souvenirs, 17 per cent carried a photo, and more than 10 per cent called home to "chat" with them.

According to the survey, holiday homes were the most pet-friendly accommodation option, followed by caravan and camping parks, then self-catering apartments.

The survey link was sent to wotif's NZ newsletter database. It was completed by more than 2300 people.

- APNZ