Template Letter to your Local Authority

Below is a template letter to send to your council, if they ARE NOT on our list of local authorities who have confirmed to us that they are not planning to use reindeer or any other animals as part of their festive events.

If you can, please personalise your letter, as personal letters will have more impact.

Dear [Add name of your local authority] Council,  

As a local resident, I am writing to ask whether the council are planning to use live animals in Christmas events this year. If the council is planning to use live animals, I am politely asking you to reconsider.  

The noise and lights of a festive event can be hugely stressful and have severe impacts on the health and welfare of animals, such as reindeer. Often displayed in a pen or led along a busy street as part of a Christmas parade, the animals have nowhere to hide from noisy crowds demanding interaction. Animals can also endure the additional stress of being transported around the country to be exhibited. 

Each year Animal Aid and other animal protection groups voice concerns about the welfare of reindeer used in festive events. The RSPCA asks the public to choose events which do not include live animals. 

Animal Aid have recently asked local authorities in the UK to choose festive events which do not include live animals and to agree not to grant permission for such events to take place on council owned land. 

More than 100 local authorities so far, have agreed not to use live animals in their Christmas events in 2022, with many also confirming that they will not grant permission for such event on council land. 

As a concerned local resident, I would like to be reassured that live animals will not be subjected to the stress of Christmas events in my area. Therefore, please would you confirm that the council will not be using live animals in festive events this year and that you will not be granting permission for such events to take place on council owned land in 2022. 

I would also like to ask you to consider creating a compassionate legacy by making a long-term commitment not to use captive animals in festive events as part of council policy. 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Kind regards  

[your name here] 

Local resident