RSPCA voices concerns over welfare of reindeer used at festive events

The thought of meeting a real-life reindeer at a Christmas event is exciting for people of all ages, but the animal welfare charity is concerned that these complex creatures could be suffering.

Specialist deer vets report a range of problems in reindeer kept in the UK, including a lack of weight gain, weight loss, diarrhoea, poor muscle development, poor antler growth, malformed antlers, low fertility and high calf mortality.

RSPCA Wildlife Senior Scientific Manager, Dr Ros Clubb, said: “As Christmas approaches, we and other animal welfare charities are really concerned that reindeer used in festive events across the country could be suffering in silence. Reindeer are kept here in the UK year-round but we always see more calls about them in the build-up to Christmas, which is when they are taken out to be on display at festive events.

“We understand that it must seem magical for people to see a reindeer at Christmas, but the reality is reindeer are not easy to keep well and need specialised care - they get stressed very easily and are very susceptible to many health and welfare problems.”

Reindeer at Christmas events may be transported long distances and spend time in small pens where they have nowhere to retreat to and hide if they feel stressed. They're often petted and fed by many members of the public, or may take part in busy parades.

They're exposed to busy environments, surrounded by crowds, noise and lights, which can cause the semi-wild animals a great deal of stress.

Welfare organisations fear that many people taking on reindeer, which are highly adapted to living in arctic conditions, do not realise they are more complicated to care for than their cloven-hoofed cousins such as cattle, goats and sheep and, as a result, reindeer are suffering.

Dr Clubb continued: "These animals are semi-wild and not the same as deer that are native to the UK and it is much more difficult to meet their needs in this country.

“We love Christmas and we understand why families may think that paying to visit an attraction with live reindeer would be a magical, festive thing to do, but we want this to be a happy and healthy time for humans and animals alike. We ask that people consider the welfare implications of the animals involved and perhaps look for events which do not include live animals.”