PETA is advocating for Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog famous for predicting the weather in the U.S., to step down from his long-standing role, claiming he is being exploited. Instead, they propose the use of a giant coin for the weather prediction tradition.
The 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 Groundhog Day celebration on February 2nd.
According to PETA, the person in question is not a professional meteorologist and they should not be taken advantage of every year for the sake of generating tourism revenue.
Find out more: A theme park is facing criticism and backlash after multiple giraffes have died, with allegations of animal cruelty
PETA made a request in 2022 for the club to contemplate using a persimmon tree as an alternative to Phil for predicting the weather.
During that time, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, stated that Phil is highly skilled in digging underground, searching for food, and living in harmony with nature, rather than being knowledgeable in meteorology.
According to Newkirk, PETA aims to assist the groundhog club in starting a more compassionate February 2nd celebration. They hope to transfer Phil and his companion to a trustworthy sanctuary, where they can live peacefully, free from the stress of being handled and spun around. In this sanctuary, Phil can engage in his natural behaviors, which are currently restricted in his Plexiglas enclosure.
For over a century, people from both the local community and visitors from various places have made their way to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. They gather there to witness Phil, a small and furry creature, come out of his temporary residence. Depending on whether Phil sees his shadow or not, it indicates if there will be six more weeks of winter or an early arrival of spring.
The film Groundhog Day, featuring Bill Murray as a frustrated meteorologist trapped in a repetitive time cycle, was made available to the public in 1993.
Famous individuals who have made attempts to reveal the alleged existence of the Illuminati
Additional Content from Taste of Country
Details
Connect with Us