PETA is advocating for Punxsutawney Phil to step down from his traditional role of forecasting the weather in the United States. Instead, they propose replacing him with a large coin.
An animal rights group has written a letter to the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Tom Dunkel, asking them to replace the traditional groundhog with a large coin for the celebration of Groundhog Day on February 2nd.
PETA expressed that the individual mentioned is not a professional in meteorology and should be treated with more respect instead of being used solely for generating tourism revenue.
The theme park is facing criticism and backlash due to allegations of animal cruelty after a series of giraffe deaths.
PETA approached the club in 2022 and suggested the idea of using a persimmon tree as a weather predictor rather than relying on Phil.
At the time, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, stated that Phil is skilled in digging, searching for food, and living according to his natural instincts, rather than being knowledgeable in studying weather patterns.
Newkirk from PETA is advocating for the groundhog club to have a more compassionate start to February 2nd by allowing Phil and his companion to be transferred to a reputable sanctuary. This would provide them with a worry-free life, free from being handled and spun around, and allow them to engage in their natural behaviors that they are currently deprived of in their Plexiglas enclosure.
For over a century, people from nearby areas and distant places have been visiting Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to witness the annual event of Phil, a small and furry creature, coming out of his temporary dwelling. Depending on whether Phil sees his shadow or not, it predicts either six more weeks of winter or an early arrival of spring.
In 1993, the film Groundhog Day was released, featuring Bill Murray as a frustrated weatherman who finds himself trapped in a repetitive cycle of time.
Famous individuals who made attempts to reveal the alleged existence of the Illuminati
Additional content available on Taste of Country website.
Details and updates can be found on