Citroen has quite literally let the Berlingo van go to the dogs, creating a canine-friendly concept complete with climate-controlled beds, onboard cameras and a shower for muddy paws.
Perhaps inevitably named the Pawlingo, the one-off concept was developed with support from pet welfare charity Blue Cross, and is designed around the needs of professional dog walkers and their four-legged passengers.
What’s inside the Citroen Pawlingo?
The Pawlingo provides two separate air-conditioned spaces for dogs, with the temperature maintained between 15°C and 22°C.
Each space contains a specially designed bed inspired by Citroen’s Advanced Comfort seats, which use additional high-density foam and wider cushions to support their considerably less furry occupants.
Cameras allow the driver to monitor both canine passengers from the cab, while the conversion is divided into wet and dry working areas.
The wet side includes a built-in shower for washing muddy paws after a walk, along with drying robes. The dry section provides storage for leads, harnesses and other equipment, along with a waste bin and a supply of treats.
It is, in other words, rather better equipped than plenty of vans for humans.
Do dogs need their own specialist van?
Citroen commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK dog owners to support the project and found that 56% worry about their pet’s comfort when travelling.
Among owners who had used a professional dog walker, 90% said their dog’s wellbeing during transport was important. However, only 53% were confident that dog-walking vehicles were properly equipped for canine comfort.
Just over half said they would be more likely to choose a dog walker whose vehicle had been specifically adapted for dogs.
“With more dogs travelling as part of professional walking services, owners rightly expect their pets to be transported in comfort,” said Greg Taylor, managing director of Citroen UK.
“Our research shows that more than half of dog owners worry about their pet’s comfort in the car, while 51% would be more likely to use a dog walker if their vehicle was specifically adapted for canine wellbeing.”
Ryan Neile, head of behaviour services at Blue Cross, said features including comfortable resting areas, temperature management and monitoring could support dogs’ wellbeing while travelling.
Will Citroen sell the Pawlingo?
For now, the Pawlingo remains a concept rather than something available through the Citroen van configurator.
The idea isn’t entirely barking, though. Britain has an estimated 15.5 million pet dogs, while professional walkers need vehicles that are secure, washable and comfortable enough to transport animals between homes and walking locations.
Even if the Pawlingo never progresses beyond a publicity exercise, a few van converters may be looking at Citroen’s mobile canine spa and wondering whether dog walkers would pay for something similar.
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