The Shelter Advisor

Q: Our agency is about to purchase new vehicles for our field personnel. We're wondering which is better—trucks with modular attachments or vans with interior caging systems?
—C.P., Michigan

A: When it comes to choosing a field services vehicle, there are no easy answers. Many companies now outfit both trucks and vans with "conversion units," or caging units that allow officers easy access while keeping animals comfortable and secure. But the choice of a specific vehicle—whether it's a van or a truck with a modular unit attached—is often a matter of preference.

Top photo courtesy of Swab Wagon Company, Inc.; bottom photo courtesy of Harford Systems Modern vans and truck conversions have each evolved quite a bit from early animal control vehicles, but the decision to purchase one vehicle or another depends on the duties and needs of your field personnel.

Agencies searching for a more contemporary look might favor vans, which are less reminiscent of the "dogcatcher" image. More importantly, vans allow field personnel to see through an observation window and monitor animals during transport. But the services provided often dictate the choice of vehicles, and trucks may prove appropriate for organizations with other needs. Field staffers who frequently handle injured deer will have more success with a van than a retrofitted truck, for example, but those transporting many large dogs at once might require a truck unit. Likewise, even the terrain of an area can play a role in whether agencies choose vans or four-wheel-drive trucks. Animal control officers searching for strays in the Colorado Rockies may require an entirely different set of wheels than officers searching for strays on a busy street in Kansas.

Many organizations have purchased vans for their field personnel because the low floors are often easier on the backs of ACOs, who may strain themselves when lifting heavy animals into truck units. Vans' low floors may prove to be more comfortable for large dogs, too, since the animals can often be led right into the vehicle rather than be lifted by an officer. That said, recently designed truck units sit closer to the ground than older models, and at least one company offers ramps that slide out easily so that animals can often be led more naturally into trucks. Field personnel who prefer lifting animals to crouching inside enclosed spaces may be happier with this type of truck unit, which allows officers to remain upright while working.

Whether or not truck units are harder on officers' backs, they may be considered easier on the wallet. Depending on the price of the vehicle itself and the features installed, however, costs for both methods of transport are sometimes comparable. At Mavron, Inc., a company that provides animal-transport conversions for both vans and trucks, the price of a pickup truck conversion ranges from $5,700 for a slide-in unit to $11,000 for a full-size module; a unit with options can cost at least $12,000. Similarly, the base price for a van conversion is in the $7,000 to $8,000 range, and a van unit with options can run from $10,500 to $11,500. And whereas truck units were once touted as better long-term investments because they can be transferred from one vehicle to another, stainless-steel caging for vans is extremely durable and can also be moved to new vehicles once old ones have passed their prime.

Some officers think truck compartments are easier to clean because they can be hosed down from the outside. But some van conversions, such as those crafted by Harford Systems, include stainless-steel cages, watertight sealing, and advanced drainage systems that allow for quick hose-down and proper cleanup.

Separated ventilation systems are also available in van and truck units, which can be equipped with systems that circulate fresh air into individual compartments. In Swab trucks, for example, officers with a dead or sick animal have the option of closing a "return vent" on top of a compartment to discourage odors and airborne diseases from spreading. Air still flows into the individual compartment, but instead of recirculating to other parts of the unit, air flows out of the truck. Van units can be equipped with separate air and heat units in the back of each cage.

To locate conversion unit manufacturers, check out our Shelter Pages Directory.