Wellington - A New Zealand man has succeeded in registering his pet dog to vote in the country's general elections.

Peter Rhodes sent his Jack Russell terrier Toby's application form to the election authorities, complete with a paw print as a signature.

When asked to name the dog's occupation, he filled in "rodent exterminator".

The animal was duly registered as Toby Russell Rhodes in the Otago constituency and sent a voter's card, but did not participate in the polls.

Rhodes, of Queenstown, said he was protesting against "bureaucratic nonsense" he had encountered while trying to sub-divide his land for development purposes.

Electoral Enrolment Centre national manager Murray Wicks was quoted in The Otago Daily Times as saying: "It's an offence, and whoever's done it will be in the hands of the police." - Ananova.com