PETA is advocating for Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog known for predicting the weather in the U.S., to step down from his role, claiming that he is being exploited. Instead, 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 traditional groundhog with a large coin for the Groundhog Day celebration on February 2nd.
PETA expressed that he is not a meteorologist and that it is unfair for him to be used solely for the purpose of generating tourism revenue.
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PETA approached the club in 2022, suggesting the idea of utilizing a persimmon tree as a weather predictor instead of relying on Phil.
During that time, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, stated that Phil is skilled in digging underground, searching for food, and living in accordance with his natural instincts, rather than being knowledgeable about weather patterns.
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 a life free from 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, as stated by Newkirk.
For over 130 years, people from both the local community and those visiting from different places have been coming to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to witness the annual event of Phil, a small furry creature, coming out of his temporary dwelling. Depending on whether he sees his shadow or not, it is believed to indicate either six more weeks of winter or an early arrival of spring.
The film Groundhog Day, which was released in 1993, features Bill Murray playing the role of a weatherman who is frustrated and trapped in a repetitive time cycle.
Famous individuals who attempted to unveil the alleged secret society known as the Illuminati. Credit for the gallery goes to Taylor Alexis Heady.
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