Czech automobile manufacturer Skoda Auto has converted a Kodiaq sports utility vehicle (SUV) to a police dog van, adding another car to its list of ‘blue-light’ emergency services vehicles. The company had earlier converted the Scala crossover multipurpose vehicle (MPV) and the Karoq SUV to police cars. 

Skoda, in a statement, said that police forces looking for a versatile vehicle to safely transport their canine teams during an emergency situation now have the best solution. The Skoda dog vehicle comes with a series of safety and driver assistance features to ensure that police dogs can travel securely and safely during an emergency. 

Major modifications carried out to the Kodiaq SUV include two air-conditioned, rear-fitted kennels. The car adheres to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) guidelines. Built into the car’s trunk space, the kennels have a temperature monitoring system and quick front escape hatch. The latter allows dogs to promptly vacate the vehicle when the need arises. This Kodiaq police dog van comes with a safety equipment storage area in front of the two kennels.

For humans operating the vehicle, the police dog van comes with an engine run lock system and a 360-degree emergency light. The former keeps the motor running even when the key has been removed. The engine, in such cases, can be used as a generator to power lights, computers, and radios, without draining the battery.

Henry Williams, Skoda UK head of fleet, said that police dogs play a major role in emergency situations and they need an environment that provides the appropriate level of comfort and safety while transporting them to and from an emergency.  The versatile police dog van, he said, has all the necessary features in this regard.

The Skoda Kodiaq police dog van will be available in a choice of two-wheel and four-wheel-drives. Buyers will be able to choose from two diesel and two petrol engines. The output ranges from 148-236 PS maximum power. The engines will be mated to a direct-shift gearbox (DSG) or standard manual transmission.

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