PETA Suggests Replacing Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day with a 'Weather Reveal' Cake
The vegan treat, PETA said, would mimic that of a sex reveal for a baby, with blue meaning six more weeks of winter and pink indicating an early spring
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Punxsutawney Phil, a cake.PETA is calling for a change to Groundhog Day.
The organization — which stands for "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" — shared a news release on Jan. 21, in which they suggested that Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who predicts whether winter will go on for six more weeks or spring will arrive early, should be replaced with a "weather reveal" cake.
The vegan treat, PETA said, would mimic that of a sex reveal for a baby. Once cut, the cake would show one of two colors: blue, meaning six more weeks of winter, or pink, indicating an early spring.
The animal rights advocates added that Punxsutawney Phil and his family should "retire to a reputable sanctuary" instead of taking part in the annual tradition, which takes place on Feb. 2.
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Groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil in February 2024.Related: Alicia Silverstone and Her Son Team Up for New PETA Campaign on Animal Dissection in Schools
In a letter to The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s president, Tom Dunkel, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk used puns to convey the organization's plea, writing that letting Punxsutawney Phil retire and be replaced by the cake "would allow you to still make tourism dough while showing Phil a slice of decency."
Continuing the play on words, Newkirk said, "Groundhog Day is no piece of cake" for Punxsutawney Phil, detailing that "groundhogs are shy prey animals who, when allowed, actively avoid humans."
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"Yet, year after year, Phil is transported to Gobler’s Knob, whisked on stage, and subjected to a noisy announcer, screaming crowds, and flashing lights against all his natural instincts," she continued.
Added Newkirk: "If approached in his natural habitat, he would run away in fear, not volunteer to live year-round in captivity, unable to do anything that’s natural and important to him like hibernate or burrow — just to be a town’s once-a-year fake meteorologist."
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A sex reveal cake (stock image).Related: You May Be Walking Your Dog Incorrectly, Says PETA President: 'It's More Than a Bathroom Break'
PETA has made similar offers to replace Punxsutawney Phil in years past.
In 2024, the group asked The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to retire the rodent in favor of a giant coin, while they suggested in 2022 that officials instead use a persimmon tree to predict the weather.
Two years earlier, in 2020, PETA argued that the animal should be swapped out for an animatronic version that would be equipped with artificial intelligence capable of more accurately predicting the weather.
Last year, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring over more weeks of winter.
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