Top Retail Real Estate Companies Put Hot-Car Warnings at Malls After PETA

Macerich, Simon, and GGP Nab Delicious Vegan Chocolates for Protecting Dogs and Children From Horrific Deaths by Heatstroke

For Immediate Release:
August 24, 2017

Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382

Already this year, at least 34 children and 41 dogs, and counting, have died after being left inside hot vehicles—but three of the largest retail real estate companies in the country are taking crucial steps to prevent future deaths. Following outreach from PETA, Macerich, Simon, and GGP—which cumulatively own 355 shopping malls and premium outlets—all put up warning signs at malls to remind shoppers never to leave dogs or children in parked cars, where temperatures can soar and dogs can succumb to heatstroke within minutes. In thanks for the lifesaving messages, PETA sent boxes of delicious dog-shaped vegan chocolates to the compassionate companies.

“This summer, PETA has received reports of dozens of dogs and children who have baked to death after being left in a parked car,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “By offering essential reminders to shoppers, these retail giants are setting an example of compassion and responsibility for the entire industry to follow.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—notes that on a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 100 degrees in just minutes. On a 90-degree day, interior temperatures can reach as high as 109 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Dogs and children trapped inside parked cars can quickly succumb to heatstroke, even if a car isn’t parked in direct sunlight.

PETA urges people who see a child or a dog in a parked car to take down the car’s color, make, model, and license plate number. If the car is in a store’s parking lot, they should have the owner paged over the store’s intercom. Otherwise, they should call local humane authorities or police. They should never leave until the individual is safe—and they should consider doing whatever it takes to get the child or animal to safety.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.