Too Hot for Spot and Tot: The Cordish Companies Collect Kudos for Lifesaving Signage

For Immediate Release:
July 28, 2023

Contact:
Brittney Williams 202-483-7382

Delicious dog-shaped vegan chocolates are on their way from PETA to locally based international real estate development and management business The Cordish Companies after it placed signage throughout its diverse portfolio of properties warning visitors not to leave animals or children unattended in vehicles—and will alert its security rovers to be on the lookout.

“The Cordish Companies’ proactive placement of this signage will save lives and sends a strong message that looking out for animal and child safety is everyone’s responsibility,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA encourages other companies to follow Cordish’s lead and reminds everyone never to leave an animal or a child unattended in a vehicle, even for a few minutes.”

On a 75-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 94 degrees in just 10 minutes, and on a 90-degree day, it can reach 109 degrees in just minutes. Already this year, 69 animals have reportedly died from heat-related causes, 239 have been rescued from the heat, and 14 children have died from being in a hot car—and the actual number of animals is surely far higher, as these numbers include only incidents reported in the media.

Anyone who sees an animal or a child in a parked car should take immediate action: Call 911. Then write down the vehicle’s color, make, model, and license plate number and rush to have nearby stores page the owner. If the owner can’t be found and if authorities are unresponsive, do what it takes to save the individual’s life. PETA offers an emergency window-breaking hammer for help with intervening in life-or-death situations.

The Cordish Companies joins other major businesses that have committed to displaying warning signs in their parking lots and store entrances, including Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Regency Centers, AutoZone, and Albertsons.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.