PETA is advocating for the retirement of Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog known for his yearly weather predictions in the United States. Instead, they propose the use of a giant coin for this purpose.
The animal rights group has written a letter to Tom Dunkel, the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, expressing their desire for the club to replace the well-known groundhog with a large coin to commemorate Groundhog Day on February 2nd.
PETA expressed their opinion stating that the person in question is not a meteorologist, and they believe it is unfair for him to be used solely for the purpose of generating tourism revenue.
Find out more: Controversy surrounds a theme park as accusations of animal cruelty arise after a series of giraffe deaths.
PETA made a request to the club in 2022, suggesting the use of a persimmon tree as a weather predictor instead of relying on Phil.
"At the time, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, stated that Phil is highly skilled in digging underground, searching for food, and living according to his natural instincts, rather than being knowledgeable about weather patterns."
According to Newkirk, PETA wants to assist the groundhog club in starting a more compassionate February 2nd by allowing Phil and his companion to be relocated to a trustworthy sanctuary. In this sanctuary, Phil can live without any concerns, without being handled and spun around, and have the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors that he has been deprived of in his current Plexiglas enclosure.
For over a century, people from the local community and visitors from various places have been going to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to witness the annual event where a small and furry creature named Phil comes out of its temporary dwelling. Depending on whether Phil sees his shadow or not, it is believed to predict either six more weeks of winter or an early arrival of spring.
Released in 1993, Groundhog Day is a film featuring Bill Murray as a frustrated weatherman trapped in an endless cycle of time.
Famous individuals who attempted to reveal the alleged existence of the Illuminati. Image credit: Taylor Alexis Heady.
Additional content from Taste of Country.
Details
Stay connected with us.