Canterbury car park cancels £100 charge for owner whose dog died

David Atkinson received a £100 parking charge after spending more than six hours at a Canterbury veterinary practice while his bulldog Reggie received emergency care and was put to sleep. The company that manages the car park first rejected his appeal, prompting criticism from Atkinson, but later cancelled the charge as a gesture of goodwill.

Atkinson took nine-year-old Reggie to the vet on 19 September after the dog struggled to breathe. He spent £1,500 on scans and treatment; vets found a kinked windpipe and an inflamed heart, with no prospect of recovery. Camera records showed Atkinson’s car was parked from 2.21pm to 8.55pm, exceeding the three-hour limit by more than three hours.