A new fleet of fully fitted-out vehicles for the RSPCA
The RSPCA is one of the UK’s best known animal welfare organisations. The charity deals with animal cruelty and crime, rehabilitating and rehoming the animals that come into its care.
Vehicles that are fit for purpose are key to the work of the RSPCA’s rescue teams. Unfortunately, it had become apparent that their existing vans were falling short, fitted with transit boxes that were far too heavy for staff to work with. More importantly, they were poorly ventilated, which obviously posed a risk to the animals being transported.
Having procured a new fleet of vans, the organisation wanted to ensure that the fit-out of these vehicles would be done with the welfare of animals a top priority. Coach works, fleet management and van conversion companies, specialists in their own right, simply didn’t have the necessary understanding. A visit to Crufts, where Lintran was exhibiting, gave RSPCA representatives to examine our dog transit boxes and recognise our expertise in equipment for canine transportation.
This led to a visit to our premises and deeper discussion about the RSPCA’s needs. Our knowledge of specific vehicles, track record of van conversions and understanding of how rescue organisations operate in the field, allowed us to add real value and make positive suggestions about how the fit-out would be fulfilled, how to maximise the space and also offer flexibility. Combined with our ethos of always putting the dog first – which, in the RSPCA’s case, would equally apply to cats and wildlife – the organisation was confident that we would answer both their practical needs and welfare considerations.
In less than three months, we successfully completed the fit-out of 100 vehicles. Our bespoke solution resolved the original problem of handling removable boxes and the overall design ensured that there was no compromise in the conditions of transport – so critical when RSPCA officers are often dealing with neglected, stressed, weak and/or injured animals.
