Friendly and playful bull mastiff voted Rotorua Pet of the Year 2020

Sol enjoys time out in nature. Photo / Supplied

This year's Rotorua Pet of the Year is a friendly purebred bull mastiff who loves walks and play fighting.

Sol Invictus' mother, Fallyn Flavell, says she got Sol when he was 8 weeks old, and he turned 4 years old in May.

When asked what are some of the things were she loves about him, Fallyn says Sol is a really placid and lovely dog.

"He looks really aggressive but once you get to know him he is so friendly.

"If he hasn't gone for a walk will let you know. He will bark or look at me like, 'Come on mum, let's go for a walk'."

Fallyn says Sol and her brother have lots of play fights, and they went for too long without these fun play fights he will initiate them, such as tugging on Fallyn's brother's pants.

Sol enjoys the view from Nursery Hill. Photo / Supplied

She says she has been meaning to enter Sol in the Rotorua Pet of the Year competition each year, but always missed the cut-off date.

This year, while in lockdown she took the time to stop to write up an entry for Sol.

She says she was quite shocked when she found out Sol was the 2020 winner, and that she and her brother had done a lot of campaigning on social media.

As the winning pet, Sol took home a pet food hamper worth more than $300 supplied by Addiction Pet Foods.