New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio appears to be responsible for the death of a groundhog at the Staten Island Zoo.
According to the New York Post, de Blasio participated in a photo up with groundhog Staten Island Chuck for Groundhog Day back in February during which he dropped the animal nearly six feet to the ground. Seven days later, the groundhog was dead.
A source told the Post that the animal suffered “acute internal injuries” that eventually lead to its death. However, the Staten Island Zoo kept the animal’s passing hush hush, only attributing it to natural causes like old age.
What’s more, sources say the zoo ordered staffers not to tell the mayor’s office about the groundhog’s death.
Perhaps going along with the apparent conspiracy to conceal de Blasio’s culpability in the groundhog’s demise, a Staten Island Zoo spokesman said of the incident, “It appears unlikely that the animal’s death is related to the events on Groundhog Day.”
The mayor’s office also denied any knowledge of the death.
“We were unaware that Staten Island Chuck had passed but are sorry to hear of the loss,” explained a de Blasio spokesman.
Another tidbit of the saga speaks to the zoo’s tendency toward coverups. The animal dropped by de Blasio wasn’t “Chuck,” but “Charlotte,” a stand-in that the zoo substituted in fear that the real Chuck would bite the mayor.
Ironically, instead of biting de Blasio, the groundhog bit the dust.
PETA addressed the incident in a statement to Red Alert Politics.
“We are sure that Mayor Bill de Blasio, who cares about animals, will be devastated,” said PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. “The blame lies with the organizers, and PETA has been after them for years — and still is — to stop disturbing and tossing around a groundhog for this gimmick. This groundhog needs to be the last to suffer and die for a cruel and bizarre ‘holiday.’ Just as ball runs are replacing bull runs, the stupid, thoughtless, and inhumane groundhog gimmick needs to go, too.”
