Target: Tom Dunkel, President of Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
Goal: Stop stressing out groundhogs and depriving them of critical natural stimulation.
Every year, the nation “celebrates” groundhogs: animals that are legally killed any other time of year because they’re considered nuisances for daring to build their homes. These celebrations involve loud public exhibitions for animals that are by their nature sensitive and easily frightened. For the most famous groundhog of them all, Punxsutawney Phil, the trauma is not relegated to one day.
Most Americans have only seen this groundhog when he makes his yearly appearance to “predict” the weather. Yet residents of the Pennsylvania town he calls home can see him daily at a local library, where he remains on display year-round. Not only is he exposed to constant stress, but he seemingly cannot even participate in the natural activities that are vital for his well-being, such as hibernation.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has long denounced this apparently cruel practice and has even recently offered a human representative or a robot to take Phil’s place and carry out the yearly tradition. Sign the petition below to urge the organization responsible for Phil’s “care” to honor PETA’s request to send him to a sanctuary.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Dunkel,
As someone whose fame and business are derived from groundhogs, you are likely very familiar with these animals. As such, you seemingly know the stress and the physical harm that is visited upon them when they are forced out of their naturally reclusive habitats. It’s little wonder that they’re usually scared by their “shadows” on Groundhog Day. Moreover, you probably know how they cannot thrive when they are denied basic needs like hibernation.
Punxsutawney Phil has brought smiles to the masses, and now it is past time for him to enjoy a life of peaceful retirement. PETA has requested that you allow this animal and his mate to live out their lives in a natural habitat sanctuary, and they have proposed humane alternatives to the famous ceremony that takes place annually. If you truly care about the animals behind the holiday, honor this request and make Groundhog Day a true celebration, not an ode to callous cruelty.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Chris Flook
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Grow up. Leave the animals alone. Stop using them for your enjoyment
Amen
Really sad how you’ve robbed this gentle creature of a normal existence. And it’s even sadder that he had zero choice in the matter.
Please release Phil so he can live a normal life.
This one is dead. Something has to be done to stop the next one from dying!!
Do these people who do this have the slightest idea how utterly STUPID they look? Aside from the cruelty issue and the complete disregard for wildlife and lack of respect for them, we live in a world where we need to be seriously dealing with REAL CLIMATE CHANGE and other environmental issues that we alone have caused. And instead, we drag a poor animal out of his home to indulge in an incredibly ridiculous ritual to tell us how long winter will last.
There are many reasons why humans need to be extinct, but nothing illustrates our lack of relevance in the world better than this.
Oh Good Lord… you are so right! I saw the fear of little Phil on tv again, and I got so angry, I wanted to reach through and strangle those disgusting humans with their stupid ass faces.
This is disgusting let him go to a sanctuary
I fully agree he should not be used for this, he needs to go to some sort of sanctuary. I doubt he could survive if he’s released. And I’m pretty sure this is not the first one being used for this.
I want to see the form Phil filled out when he agreed to play this silly role. Oh, that’s right, he has no choice. If we end this now, maybe in a few generations they will forget we were ever this stupid.
Guess you did not hear. He died.
Keeping this animal continually caged and on display in a public library, is sad and unthinkable. This animal should not be deprived of everything natural to groundhogs, even if that deprivation is unintentional. Animals are not like things. They are creatures with intelligence and feelings and needs of their own. This animal belongs living and experiencing nature everyday with wide open space,the beauty of nature, and ideally, the company of his own kind. As I understand, groundhogs have a basic physiological need to hibernate according to nature,itself. Currently,he is deprived even of that. Whatever the initial intention, please recognize this individual’s needs cannot be met in this situation. Under the circumstances, his need is to be released to a reputable sanctuary. There, he can get specialized care, the proper conditions for his needs, and hopefully, animal companionship. They likely would welcome you to visit if you would like. Please release this animal to a sanctuary now, sir. That is what this creature needs and deserves. Thank you.
Is Not cute.
Is Not funny.
IS cruel and abusive.
Needs to stop
HE DIED!!! These pos will only get another one.
Why are “intellectually superior” humans so challenged by creativity and decency and have to rely on disgusting animal exploitation for entertainment?
Do NOT continue doing this stupid retarded annual event!.
DO NOT GET ANOTHER GROUND HOG. POOR LITTLE PROBABLY DIED BEFORE IS TIME BECAUSE OF THIS STUPID PRACTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LEAVE THEM ALONE TO LIVE THEIR LIFE!!! This is yet another form of animal cruelty!!
YOU DO KNOW WE HAVE WEATHERMEN AND METEOROLOGISTS!!
PETA DENOUNCED THIS and rightly so!!!
While I denounce this show in its entirety, Phil actually did live much longer in captivity than a normal groundhog lifespan. Frequently entertainers will point to this as a reason to continue the practice, saying the animal had a much better life than they would have in the wild.
That doesn’t make it right to deprive an animal of its natural habits and habitat. We don’t know what’s going on in a groundhog’s head, nor can we assume we “know better.”
This is so wrong!
Please stop this stupid tradition now!! I’ve always hated seeing it -let every animal live in peace. We don’t need to traumatize an innocent animal when there is equipment that can be used instead.
Since I came to Canada I have thought this a cruel idea done to attract tourists to see this little animal abused and scared. Now Canada has joined in this rotten ‘tradition’ . I hate that it is also my birthday. Stop it. That would be a great birthday gift.
Well here’s another form of animal exploitation. Why can’t humans just leave the animals alone and let them live out their lives in their natural habitats?
needs to be with a wild life sanctuary as I doubt if he could take care of him self plus he could be shot by anyone in the area as be would be considered a nuance..Saw one report already where a groundhog has died at another town…They just grab him out of his home they have and host him in the air.He does not try to bite anyone that is seen on TV..Not sure who takes care of him the rest of the year..
Although I wholeheartedly agree that Phil and his mate (which I didn’t know he had) should be sent to a sanctuary, I am NO FAN of PETA! As far as I’m concerned, PETA is a sham! It professes to be an animal-welfare organization, but that’s just a guise, especially since their director, Ingrid Newkirk, is NO fan of cats and dogs. She believes that KILLING feral cats is preferable to TNR, AND, she supports breed-discriminatory laws for dogs!
PETA IS A SHAM!!! Pos Newkirk believes feral cats should be killed. I did tnr for almost 20 years. She came to N.Y. once and said that we do not feed feral colonies and we put sick ferals out into the streets. WE HAD EVIDENCE WE PUT DOWN SICK FERALS AT ASPCA. Lying bitch left N.Y.with her devils tail between her legs. And we know she kills healthy cats and dogs.
Good grief people! Haven’t you ever heard of webcams??
Let the groundhog go! Film him instead of bothering him!
This is unessassary to continue this inhumane act every year. Nothing about this is true anyway. Stop using animals in ways to put people in the eye of attention and entertainment. Just simply end this cruel and stupid tradition. The groundhog needs to be in his natural habit.
Animals shall NOT be VICTIMS of human primitive and desensitized minds. Send this poor creature to an accredited sanctuary!
ENOUGH is ENOUGH!