Pennsylvania governor spurns Peta’s offer to replace Punxsutawney Phil with cake on Groundhog Day

Animal rights group suggested replacing the famous marmot with vegan cake to forecast the end of winter

Pennsylvania's governor, Josh Shapiro, is claws out in a dispute with animal rights organization Peta over Groundhog Day, pushing back against activists who suggested that the world-famous marmot Punxsutawney Phil should be replaced with a cake.

Punxsutawney Phil headlines the yearly Groundhog Day festival in this small Pennsylvania town. The mythos surrounding this event maintains that this woodchuck can predict whether spring will start early, depending on whether he sees his shadow when exiting his nest.