C’mon PETA, You Can’t Fire Phil

If PETA gets their way, the famous groundhog that helps us determine how much Winter is left would be be replaced by artificial intelligence.  What?! I don't know about you, but I have a mini obsession with Punxsutawney Phil .  He's fat and feisty and furry and every year when they hold him up in front of adoring fans on Groundhog Day, I just wanna squeeze him and snuggle him.

Full disclosure, I really don't even know what's supposed to happen when he sees his shadow (or doesn't see his shadow for that matter) I just like to see him.  I'm all for animal rights and believe me, I watched "Blackfish" just like the rest of the world and it changed my life in terms of how I view animals and the way they're treated.   But this seems a little extreme.  PETA is calling for Phil to be fired.  PETA  wants to ground the hog, cancel the critter.

According to sources, PETA is calling for artificial intelligence to replace Phil. The Washington Post reports that PETA is making plenty of noise, “Times change. Traditions evolve. It’s long overdue for Phil to be retired,” wrote the president and founder of PETA.

Artificial intelligence?  Cmon PETA.  You're already winning with the Impossible Whopper. Let us have the furry, fat, well fed, well rested, spotlight-loving warm blooded critter that we have known and loved all these years.  A.I. may be more accurate than the hog, but it's not as cuddly nor cute.  And isn't that what's really important on Groundhog Day?

I realize that this may be the worst argument ever for keeping things the way they are but I'm standing my ground (hog) on this one!

Long Live Punxsutawney Phil