Out Of Their Fucking Minds

New York Daily News:

PETA pushes for iconic groundhog Punxsutawney Phil to be replaced with ... a robot
By Corky Siemaszko Daily News Staff Writer

Is nothing sacred?

The animal rights group PETA is demanding that America's beloved harbinger of spring, Punxsutawney Phil, be replaced with ... a robot.

The group says it's unfair of the Groundhog Day festival organizers to subject the furry critter to the bright lights and huge crowds that descend on the tiny Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney every Feb. 2.

"Make the compassionate decision to use an animatronic Phil and retire the live groundhogs who are used for Groundhog Day activities to a sanctuary," wrote Gemma Vaughan of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

"Tradition is no excuse for cruelty."

William Deeley, president of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, said Phil is the most pampered groundhog in the world.

"This is just crazy," Deeley told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"Phil is probably treated better than the average child in Pennsylvania. He's got air conditioning in the summer, his pen is heated in winter ... He has everything but a TV in there. What more do you want?"

Besides, Pennsylvania already has an animatronic "Gus the Groundhog," who is the "spokesanimal" for the state lottery.

Over at the Staten Island Zoo, spokeswoman MaryLee Montalvo said they'd never dream of replacing their weather-predicting groundhog, Charles G. Hogg (a.k.a. Staten Island Chuck), with a robot.

"He's a local celebrity," she said.

He's also a bit of a diva. Last year, he bit Mayor Bloomberg on the finger after he was rousted from his lair to declare that spring was on the way.

The movie, "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray featured a real groundhog - even if it was shot in Woodstock, Ill. His best known animatronic co-star is the gopher from "Caddyshack".

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HEY PETA!!! UP YOURS!!!