The RSPCA has taken delivery of six new Volkswagen Crafter vans, customised to carry up to nine animals in individual cages.

Each van has also been vinyl wrapped in colourful designs chosen from amongst the winners in a national school competition.

The vans themselves are short wheelbase Crafter CR30 2.0-litre TDI 136 PS BlueMotion models. They’re expected to transports 20,000 animals in need of care each year, saving the charity a staggering £800,000 per year.

Inside, the new vans have been carefully-modified to meet the needs of the RSPCA.

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’ passengers.

Operational benefits for the RSPCA include low whole-life and running costs, and a fuel efficient engine that returns 39.8 mpg (combined) and emits only 187g/km of CO_2, helping to cut the charity’s fuel costs and reduce emissions.