The partnership is designed to help save the lives of thousands of animals across England and Wales by helping transport 20,000 animals in need of care all over the country. The vans have been converted and – as with all Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ ‘Engineered for You’ vehicles – tailored to suit the organisation’s specific requirements.
Adjustments include the load-space being fully sealed with a spray-on waterproof liner in order to enable the charity’s workers to easily wash out the vans after use, as well as the roofs of the vans being fitted with a ‘Flettner Ventilator’, in order to provide the animals in the back with a constant stream of fresh air.
The Crafters have also each been fitted with a total of nine bespoke cages, which vary in size to suit all animals, from a small cat to a large dog. All cages also have removable partitions between them to allow the RSPCA to pick up and transport more ‘unusual’ animals.
The vans have also all been wrapped in the colourful winning designs of school children, who were challenged to design the outside as part of a nationwide competition.
Operational benefits for the RSPCA include low whole-life and running costs, and a fuel efficient engine that return up to 39.8 mpg (combined) and emit 187g/km of CO2; helping to save on fuel costs and reduce the fleet's impact on the environment. These efficiency improvements could help the charity save up to £800,000 a year and help ensure that animals are transported to the most appropriate rehabilitation centre for their needs.