Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched a new Volkswagen Caddy conversion, ready for life on patrol as a police dog van.
The specialist canine unit will further help support the vital work of police dogs following the passing of ‘Finn’s Law’. The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill gives the animals greater protection on patrol and is named after police dog Finn, who sustained serious injuries while on service and shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent this year as part of the campaign.
The new Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles conversion features a removable dog kennel with adjustable temperature controls and a complete ‘blue light’ conversion featuring lights, siren and livery.
The kennel has been built to DEFRA/RSPCA animal welfare specification, which dictates size along with ventilation and air conditioning systems. The Caddy dog van features temperature monitoring, which alerts the driver if the dog is too hot or cold. The settings can be adjusted from the cabin without the need to stop the vehicle.
The conversion, carried out by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ Approved Blue Light Converter PressFab Evo Ltd in Bedfordshire, uses Volkswagen Caddy in Highline trim as the base vehicle. Under the bonnet is the Caddy’s most powerful engine – the 2.0-litre 150 PS unit – which delivers a balance of performance and economy.
Steven Cowell, Technical Sales Manager at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said, “Our latest blue light conversion is a fully-operational dog van based on our Volkswagen Caddy. We’re delighted by the finished product after months of hard work by the team in partnership with PressFab Evo. Police forces require a versatile and reliable vehicle and that’s exactly what the Caddy offers, and why it’s already so popular with such a wide range of businesses.”
