Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro has rejected PETA’s idea regarding Punxsutawney Phil.

The animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, proposed that the iconic weather-predicting groundhog should be allowed to retire, suggesting a vegan cake be used for the “weather reveal” instead.

In their letter to Tom Dunkel, the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, PETA stated that they would provide an annual vegan cake at Gobbler’s Knob on Groundhog Day, provided that Phil and his family could live out their days at a respectable sanctuary, according to a news release from the organization.

The suggested “weather reveal” cake would be inspired by gender reveal cakes, with blue on the inside indicating six more weeks of winter, while pink would suggest an early start to spring, as noted by the group.

On Friday, the governor responded with a post on X, saying, “Come and take it,” in reaction to a New York Post article covering PETA’s proposal.

PETA’s Past Proposals for Punxsutawney Phil

This isn’t the first time PETA has tried to remove Punxsutawney Phil from his job. Last year, they proposed swapping the groundhog for a giant gold coin, and in 2022, they suggested forecasting the weather using persimmon seeds, reported KTLA5.

While PETA may not anticipate acceptance of its proposals, the organization continues its efforts to highlight what it considers animal cruelty. PETA president Ingrid Newkirk mentioned in her letter to Dunkel, “We know that the local community and visitors who truly appreciate Phil want him to live naturally.”

Furthermore, she added with a touch of humor, “If this idea doesn’t appeal to you, the icing on the cake is another suggestion: we’d gladly provide a large thermometer for Gobbler’s Knob that reads, ‘If it’s still cold, it’s still winter,’ which humorously captures the ridiculousness of this outdated tradition.” She concluded with, “We look forward to your response, as always.”

Contributing: Julia Gomez.

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