Towing Issues: Car impounded with dog inside / Eugene, OR, appointment time, tow companies

Question
QUESTION: My son parked today (Sat) in a lot that was marked as private or reserved parking, but thought it would be ok because the businesses were all closed. He had MY dog in the car,and wasn't gone more than 20-25 minutes. My question may be more one for the Humane Society, but it seemed  wrong that they would tow a car with a dog in it. They also set an "appointment" time for him to pay the fee and get his car which was way too long to leave the dog. This company is known to be pirates, as they sit in wait until someone parks in a particular lot...I would like to know if there is anything we can do about the dog issue.

ANSWER: Well the City of Eugene does have some regulations regarding towing of vehicles from parking lots along with regulations governing tow companies...  And yes there are a few companies who watch lots or cruise lots looking for violations..

That being said (ok I used to work driving tow truck in Eugene and this will be a bit of a rant here), people do not want vehicles parked in their lots, even if they are closed due to insurance reasons or Vandalism among other reasons.. As such they have vehicles towed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Especially around the University.
(Personal comment here, if you are paying all that money to go to College why park where the signs say not to park, I used to tow students from the same lots several times, and always wondered if they really knew how to read signs, one kid 5 times in one month from the same parking lot off 13th)

The appointment time, well they are usually closed after normal business hours (think bank hours) and as such they have to send a person there to do the paperwork, collect the money and release the vehicle, so that is why the appointment and the "gate fee or Afterhours release fee" is charged.


Now on to the dog issue. The issue here is one of response and legality. First of all, most tow companies will not "OPEN or UNLOCK" a vehicle due to liability issues.  If it is locked they can not be blamed for missing things...

And towing the vehicle with the animal in it is somewhat better than trying to open the door and having the animal run off.
 
Now the Animal shelter either might of been busy or closed at the time and could not respond to the call to pick up the animal. Most tow companies will take and call and have the animal picked up. Sometimes it happens at the tow yard and sometimes at the location.

BUT the act of leaving the animal in the vehicle (OK it is winter there) does create the issue of Animal Cruelty. After all there are a bunch of rules about leaving kids in vehicles, and you would be surprised to know that they have rules and regulations regarding leaving animals in vehicles..

A

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your answer, but I do want to ask----how do I find out about the
regulations that govern towing companies? This company charged $250,
which is apparently quite a bit above the norm. $100 impound, $30 storage,
$60 dispatch, $30 dollies, $30 after hours. Are there regulations that govern
how much they charge, or does that just depend on how much you can take
out at an ATM? Thanks again.

Answer
There are no real rate regulations in Oregon, but I know that Eugene has requirements where the rates have to be posted at the office in pain view, and they have to have it also either on a sign on the truck or readily available there.

The rates do not seem to bad in comparison to others, I just question the dispatch fee...  I do not really know why or what that is for... I do not think the City of Eugene charges the tow companies that much if any...

Basically it is fees which the tow company decides are profitable to then and which cover the expenses they have...