Ahead of Groundhog Day in the self-proclaimed “Groundhog Capital of the World,” PETA is blitzing area buses with a wildlife-friendly message urging the city to chuck the ridiculous practice of forcing a frightened animal to predict the weather and instead leave groundhogs in peace this February. PETA points out that unlike the trained meteorologists on TV, groundhogs are shy individuals who would never choose to be in front of cameras or crowds and that, like all wild animals, they belong in the wild—not in cages or pens at shady roadside zoos.
Credit: PETA
“Groundhogs can’t predict the weather, but they can feel enormous stress when they’re deprived of hibernation, jostled around by large members of a different species, and thrust in front of noisy crowds,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on Sun Prairie officials to wise up and employ only willing human participants in their Groundhog Day celebration, rejecting the old idea that frightened wildlife are props.”
PETA’s message appears on 10 City of Madison Metro Transit buses through February 11.
The Publicly funded Research Involving Monkeys needs Accountability, Transparency, and Engagement (PRIMATE) Act, HB 2304, would require that the WaNPRC publish data annually on the number and species of primates in its facilities, how they’re used in experimentation, injuries and deaths, unintended infections and illnesses, violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, public funding received, and the composition of oversight committees and boards.
The bill, which PETA supports, was introduced in the Washington State House of Representatives last week by Reps. Gerry Pollet and Julia Reed and seven cosponsors, and the Senate’s companion bill, SB 6221, was introduced by Sen. Jesse Salomon and cosponsors Sens. Derek Stanford, Patty Kuderer, T’wina Nobles, and Marko Liias. Last year, a similar bill was passed in Oregon requiring transparency by the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University. Both the Oregon and Washington primate centers have long histories of animal welfare violations.
“This very reasonable legislation simply requires that the publicly funded primate center share critical information about where the monkeys come from and what happens to them,” says PETA primate scientist Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel. “Monkeys at the primate center have died from starvation, dehydration, veterinary error, and unintended diseases—and taxpayers have the right to know what their money is funding.”
A monkey caged at the WaNPRC. Image obtained by PETA via the Washington State Public Records Act
The primate center is currently under investigation by the Washington State Department of Health for the death of a monkey during a botched procedure. UW has violated federal animal welfare laws and regulations dozens of times, including by allowing a monkey’s strangulation death. Veterinary errors have caused deaths of monkeys at the primate center, and dangerous diseases transmissible to humans have infected monkeys at the university’s breeding facility. In 2022, a judge ordered UW to pay more than $540,000 in penalties, fees, and interest for destroying records related to the WaNPRC’s experiments on monkeys and for withholding records regarding financial and leadership crises and animal deaths.
If you’ve ever endured a sleepless night or pulled an all-nighter to study, you know how miserable it feels to be sleep-deprived. Roadside zoos and other tourist traps inflict this torment on some animals all the time.
Nocturnal animals, who are most active at night, and crepuscular animals, who are typically active at dawn and dusk, suffer tremendously at facilities that exploit them for entertainment. During the day, when they should be resting, facilities keep them awake—often with artificial lighting—with no opportunity to evade gawking tourists, and many exhibitors force them into unnatural, stressful interactions with the public.
A Waking Nightmare: These Sleep-Deprived Animals Suffer at Roadside Zoos
In their natural homes, kinkajous (known as “night walkers” in many cultures) spend the night swinging in trees, socializing, and searching for food. Sloths live up to their lethargic reputation, often sleeping for up to 15 hours a day in nature. They have extremely slow metabolisms, so they need to get lots of sleep and conserve as much energy as possible when they’re awake. Otters need up to 11 hours of daily sleep to feel well rested, and capybaras typically take frequent naps throughout the day.
Facilities like SeaQuest use these animals for daytime encounters with the public, disrupting their normal sleep patterns and often causing them to become anxious, agitated, and defensive. Not surprisingly, guests have been bitten by sloths, kinkajous, and capybaras during interactions at SeaQuest facilities, which could be a sign that these animals are suffering from the effects of sleep deprivation.
In nature, big cats typically sleep up to 20 hours a day, recharging for the hunt. At roadside zoos, where they have nowhere to escape from the incessant commotion of ogling visitors, they often pace in their enclosures out of frustration. Wolves, known for their nighttime howls, cover vast distances with their packs at dawn and dusk, but they can’t do this at roadside zoos, and Myrtle Beach Safari, among others, uses them as props for cruel photo ops.
Many bears hibernate for up to eight months in their natural habitats. Even in warmer climates, where the ground isn’t covered in snow all winter, they slow down and take long, restful naps and only occasionally get up to forage. Roadside zoos not only keep these animals on display all year round, disregarding their innate need to reduce their activity in the winter, but also deprive them of enough space to exercise and adequate enrichment. Bears at roadside zoos often suffer from a plethora of health issues, including morbid obesity and painful arthritis.
PETA helped rescue Dillan the bear, pictured above, who was suffering from morbid obesity and other debilitating issues at a roadside zoo. Now he’s healthy and thriving at a true sanctuary, where he can exercise, socialize, and hibernate in peace.
Here’s What You Can Do
It’s not just nocturnal and crepuscular animals who suffer at roadside zoos and mall aquariums. All animals imprisoned at these facilities are denied their freedom, the space to roam and explore, the opportunity to socialize meaningfully with other members of their species, and everything else that’s natural and important to them. The best thing that you can do is to stay away from any facility that profits off animals in any way.
A Compassionate Fire Department Awardis on its way from PETA to the Georgetown Township Fire Department in recognition of rescuers’ bravery and determination in saving a dog who had fallen through the ice into Cedar Lake East on Monday.
The dog, named Hazel, was struggling to stay afloat about 20 feet from shore. Wearing a rescue suit, Georgetown Township Dive Rescue Team member Jereme VandenHeuvel waded through the chest-deep water to reach Hazel and wrap her in his arms. His teammates used ropes to tow the pair back to land, and although Hazel had ice accumulating on her face and nose and immediately collapsed to the ground, she was reunited with her relieved guardian and is recovering well.
A news article about the rescue quoted VandenHeuvel as saying, “A life is a life. If it’s a dog or a human, we’re thinking the same mode.”
Photos courtesy of Georgetown Charter Township Fire Department
“This dog was minutes away from a terrifying death, but thanks to the Georgetown Township firefighters’ compassion and quick action, she’s safe back at home with her family,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA hopes these rescuers’ bravery will inspire people everywhere to always help when they see an animal in need.”
The department will receive a framed certificate and vegan chocolates from PETA.
