The charity Guide Dogs has again chosen Peugeot as it begins the process of replacing the vehicles it uses to transport its dogs.
Peugeot will replace all cars currently used to transport dogs and handlers with specially-adapted vans able to perform multiple roles and provide increased carrying capacity.
The order will include Expert and Expert crew van conversions as well as a number of Peugeot
40 Expert Long Professional models have been delivered to date. 29 of these have been converted to transport up to eight puppies at a time, during the early months of the puppies’ lives.
The remaining vans are specially converted to carry up to four dogs, as well as their professional guide dog mobility instructors and eventually their partners, during their training programme. These vans have been converted by James Alpe of Clitheroe, Lancashire, specialists in producing conversions for transporting dogs.
Each is equipped with glazed, twin sliding doors to access the folding second row seat. This seat can carry up to three people and can be folded forward to provide additional storage space or provide access to the dog cages from the front, instead of the rear of the vehicle, giving alternative emergency access to the cages if needed.
The spacious cages provide plentiful room for the dogs to travel in comfort. Both panel vans and crew vans are equipped with the optional tailgate in place of twin rear doors, to give shelter when the dogs leave and enter the cages. The cages are equipped with both temperature monitoring and video cameras to ensure the wellbeing of the animals.
Karen Mumford, Operations Support Manager at Guide Dogs said, “Dog welfare is paramount to Guide Dogs, so we are delighted that these vans will help us transport our life-changing dogs in comfort and safety, enabling us to reach more people with sight loss with our services.”
