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But the club was ready to respond to the claims.
In PETA's letter the organization claimed "As you know, Phil is certainly not a real meteorologist and didn’t volunteer for this job. For far too long, he’s been dragged out of a fake tree stump and subjected to noise, flashing lights, and crowds, against all of his natural instincts.”
President Jeff Lundy emphasized how well taken care of Phil is as "the king in Punxsutawney," when he spoke on NewsRadio KDKA in Pittsburgh in an interview earlier this week.
"His zoo is a certified agricultural zoo. It's not just a place where he sleeps. He has all kinds of vet checks," Lundy said.
And as for PETA's suggestions to plant persimmon trees to predict the weather instead:
"We're kind of disappointed. We thought (PETA would) come up with a better idea this year. They come up with one every year. We're a little disappointed, really. We thought they'd be a little more creative... I think (Phil's) okay. I think his fans would be a little disappointed (if he was fired)," Lundy told NewsRadio KDKA.
This has us wondering, what do the stars of the cinema classic Groundhog Day think?
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