The proposal is the latest idea from PETA that would replace a longstanding Pennsylvania tradition. Governor Shapiro has not supported efforts to replace the live groundhog’s appearance on Groundhog Day.
Groundhog Day will take place this week in Pennsylvania, and Punxsutawney Phil will predict whether winter will extend or spring will come early.
If Phil emerges from his burrow and sees his shadow, he will predict six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it is predicted that spring will come early. The tradition is a longstanding one in the Commonwealth that began in 1887.
PETA, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, has again launched efforts to have Punxsutawney Phil retired to an animal sanctuary. The nonprofit has repeatedly made efforts and petitions to try to remove Phil from the tradition.
Last year, PETA tried to have the groundhog replaced with a vegan “weather reveal” cake. Officials declined the proposal.
The year prior, the nonprofit suggested flipping a gold coin instead of asking the groundhog whether he sees his shadow.
This year, PETA’s proposal is removing Punxsutawney Phil and replacing him with a 3D hologram of a groundhog that would include vocal weather predictions. PETA issued a news release saying the nonprofit would provide the hologram if Phil and his family were retired to an animal sanctuary.
“Every year, this terrified little animal is subjected to loud announcers and noisy crowds and held up and waved around without any regard for his feelings, welfare, or instincts,” wrote PETA in a letter to Tom Dunkel, the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
Governor Josh Shapiro has repeatedly been unsupportive of PETA’s efforts to interfere with the longstanding Groundhog Day tradition in Pennsylvania.
The governor responded to last year’s cake idea in a post on social media saying, “Come and take it.”
This year, Shapiro responded to the hologram proposal on social media with a photo of a groundhog with the words “Don’t tread on me”, in reference to the Gadsden Flag.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was established in 1887. Its 15 members “protect and perpetuate the legend of the great weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil.”
