Rescue Dog Travels the World In Pooch-Perfect Renovated Van

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Now this is how you take a road trip! A UK woman converted her van to be the ultimate canine RV so she could travel with her rescued Labradoodle.


Italian-born Marina Piro has an adventurous spirit, and she shares it with her gorgeous Labradoodle, a rescue named Odie. Piro, who lives in the UK, decided she wanted to travel the world with Odie, and converted a 2001 Renault Kangoo van into the ultimate travel vehicle for herself and her pup. She says she never intended to adopt a dog, but once she saw Odie, it was instant love.

Piro researched how to basically strip the old van clean and restore it to the amazing and comfy little traveling home she shares with Odie. Named ‘Pam,’ the van has a bed, curtains, a kitchenette, lighting and other little amenities that make it the perfect place to nestle their heads at the end of a long day of travel to places such as Brighton in the UK or her favorite so far, Xonrupt-sur-longemer in France.


Related: Dog Travel Essentials: What to Pack for Your Dog


Piro says that she had no idea what she was doing when she began. She literally learned everything she needed to know as she was doing it, and says the work done to the van is far from perfect, but serve her and Odie just perfectly. ‘Pam’ even has touches of home like plants and curtains, and where some dogs are nervous about car travel, Odie seems to believe he was meant for this life of travel.



Piro says that wherever they go, Odie is spoiled rotten and loves the adventurous trails and fresh air he gets each day. Far from the shelter life he lived before Piro adopted him, and as Piro details in her blog Pamthevan, the van facilitates adventures in which Odie can go with her, whereas modes of transport like airplanes and trains would not. Clearly, Odie agrees with this sentiment!

Piro said that the renovation cost her about £500 (about $616 US) and allows her to see as many places as possible wherever they go. She wants to travel as long as she can, and really experience the places that she and Odie go. She also says she hopes that the creation of her blog to chronicle their travels will empower other women to do things they really would like to do, whatever it is. She wants them to feel like they could literally take an old van and figure out how to restore it and travel the world, just like she and Odie are, if that’s what they want to do.


Related: How To Stop Car Sickness In Dogs And Have Fun Traveling Again!


She has Spain and Portugal on the upcoming agenda and we’re betting Odie is going to have a lot of photo opps this year!

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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