Keeping reindeer in pens for public enjoyment can cause them physical and mental harm, charities warn
With their fluffy coats, big brown eyes and reputation as Santa’s helpers, reindeer are a common and popular attraction at Christmas markets around the UK.
But being stuck in a pen and approached by hordes of adoring fans is harming the mental and physical health of Rudolph and his brethren, animal charities have warned.
Websites offer reindeer for hire at events from £400, with the antlered creatures working stints between two and eight hours long. Venues they can be brought to by their handlers include shopping centres, weddings and corporate events as well as Christmas markets.
Though captive reindeer can be docile and friendly, they are semi-wild animals that should not be kept in enclosed spaces, experts have said, and the warm environments into which they are forced can cause distress to the animals, which originate from the Arctic.
