Duffy was terrierfied when she got towed

Published on Friday 4 February 2011 16:40

PARKING wardens have come under fire from a furious couple after their car was towed away with their dog on the back seat.

Owners Alison Vance and Jeff Laing blasted the warden who decided to ship their Volkswagen to the impounders just 30 minutes after they parked, leaving puzzled pooch Duffy trapped in the car.

The couple, from Stockbridge, claim their eight-month-old Border terrier is now off her food and has been left traumatised by the incident on Thursday.

A council spokesman pointed out that the car windows had been slightly tinted and said a car would not normally be towed away with an animal inside.

Ms Vance, an interior designer, admitted she had illegally parked the car in a permit zone, but said she could not understand why they had towed it away with the animal inside.

She said: "I'd parked near the bottom of Dundas Street at 3.05pm. I admit I was in a permit zone, but I was late meeting a client and I knew I would only be around 20 minutes. Duffy was in a dog carrier in the back.

"When I got back about 30 minutes later the car was gone. I thought it had been stolen so I called the police, but Jeff phoned the pound and the girl said our car was there. I got a taxi straight down to the pound, in Leith, and paid the 180 fine.

"The council warden said they didn't spot her, but how can you not spot a dog in the back? The girl at the pound knew she was there.

"Duffy was back with us after an hour-and-a-half, but what if we hadn't been able to collect her that day? What if she had been left there all night? The car was locked so she was stuck in there.

"When we got her back she was stressed and unhappy, she was crying and shivering. She is off her food."

She added: "I accept that I was in the wrong, but I did not expect them to tow the car away so quickly. They should have checked the car more carefully."

Ms Vance added: "According to the council, the matter is closed and they said they had done everything by the book. But should they be towing a car away with an animal inside?

"I'm not impressed. I think it would be reasonable to give the 180 back as compensation."

Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: "Any authority or company taking charge of someone's vehicle should take all practical measures to ensure there are no animals in the vehicle.

"Prolonged periods in a vehicle could be very stressful for an animal, particularly if they are not with their owner and are taken somewhere they don't recognise."

Tim Cowen, from NSL, which provides parking enforcement for Edinburgh City Council, said: "We are sorry we lifted a vehicle with an animal inside. The pet could not be seen through the vehicle's tinted windows."The vehicle was parked in a resident's bay without a permit, which is why it was lifted. If we had seen the pet we would have issued a penalty charge notice instead."