In a letter to Tom Dunkel, president of The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk used puns to emphasize the organization's request. She wrote that allowing Phil to retire and be replaced by the cake "would allow you to still make tourism dough while showing Phil a slice of decency."

In lieu of Punxsutawney Phil forecasting the weather on Groundhog Day, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is offering to send a “weather reveal” vegan cake this year.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, suggested that Groundhog Day be celebrated with a “weather cake” instead of pulling Punxsutawney Phil from his burrow to determine if winter will be prolonged or if spring will come early.