Just about the time we think the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has evolved enough to be taken seriously, off they go and do something goofy enough to change our minds.

This time, they announced last week that they wanted automation to put Punxsutawney Phil out of work.

Phil is the groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pa., with the enviable job that requires him to work on exactly one day in the year. That day is Groundhog Day, when his task is to venture outside. That’s it. The extent of his labor is to stick his head out and look around. If he casts a shadow, we’l...