No room for Fido

Families heading away for the school holidays who want to take their dog with them could struggle to find somewhere to stay.

Although countries like the United Kingdom and the United States are going to ever-increasing lengths to accommodate holidaymakers' pets, even offering fine dining canine menus and pet-only airlines, New Zealand is bucking the trend.

Pauline Wagner, the author of New Zealand's only pet travel guide, says ever since seven-year- old Auckland girl Carolina Anderson was attacked by a roaming dog in a park in 2003, accommodation providers have become more reluctant to allow dogs.

Now isn't that a shame... dogs in new zealand are no longer welcome.

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There used to be almost 800 accommodation providers willing to accept pets. Now, she says, there are around 500. "We're not nearly as dog-friendly as they are in the UK."

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The group's Monkbar hotel, in York, advertises walks for dogs depending on whether they have short, medium-sized or long legs and the Dower House hotel offers rooms with direct access to the gardens.

Virgin Atlantic offers frequent- flier schemes for pets and a new US airline, Pet Airways, launches next month just for pets.

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Wagner's Complete Pet Travel Guide 2009 will be available from September at selected veterinary clinics and book shops. It can also be ordered online at www.pettravel.netaccess.co.nz

For those living in Christchurch, we offer Homestays for Dogs... one dog at a time :)