PETA is advocating for the retirement of Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who annually predicts the weather in the United States. They propose replacing him with a giant coin.
The animal rights group has written a letter to Tom Dunkel, the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, asking them to replace the well-known groundhog with a large coin for the celebration of Groundhog Day on February 2nd.
PETA expressed that the person in question is not a professional in the field of meteorology and should not be used solely for the purpose of generating revenue from tourism.
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PETA made a request to the club in 2022, suggesting that instead of relying on Phil, they should use a persimmon tree as a means to forecast the weather
According to PETA president Ingrid Newkirk, Phil is skilled in digging underground, searching for food, and leading a natural life as he was meant to, rather than having knowledge in meteorology.
According to Newkirk, PETA is aiming to assist the groundhog club in starting a more compassionate February 2nd by advocating for 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 is currently deprived of in his Plexiglas enclosure.
Since 1887, people from both the local community and visitors from different places have made their way to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to witness the annual event of Phil, a small and furry creature, coming out of his temporary dwelling. Depending on whether he sees his shadow or not, it indicates either six more weeks of winter or an early arrival of spring.
In 1993, a film called Groundhog Day was released, featuring Bill Murray as a weatherman who was unhappy and trapped in a repeating cycle of time.
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