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Take Action Against Reindeer Displays 

Displaying live reindeer as props is cruel and exploitative. Our resources can help you to stand against this kind of cruelty in your community and beyond!

Imagine how it feels to be someone who instinctively only feels safe when surrounded by your herd, and how terrifying it must be to be separated from them, and exposed to huge crowds, bright lights, loud music, and often fireworks. It’s cruel, it’s exploitative, and it must stop.  

Reindeer belong in the wild with their herds, not in shopping centres and town squares.

Every year we stand against reindeer exploitation, and every year we have a tremendous effect. 35% of events that we contacted in 2023 to educate on the ethical and welfare issues surrounding displaying live reindeer chose to go reindeer-free in 2024. That’s not just thanks to our work, but thanks to you!  

Here’s how you can help this year: 

We need you to contact events in your area that are advertising live reindeer displays and tell them to change their plans! 

We are working with our colleagues at Freedom for Animals, OneKind, and Born Free Foundation and have put together this interactive map showing every reindeer event we know about – and details of how to contact them!  Send your own email, or use our template!

Have you seen a live reindeer display advertised that isn’t already on our map? Let us know and we can send them our joint letter, signed by 35 animal protection organisations and individuals! If they don’t respond or change their plans, they will then be added to the map for supporters like you to contact directly. 

This year we have brand-new leaflets available to distribute to anyone who may need to hear the truth about how display and performance is harmful for reindeer. You can order them for free from our website and distribute them wherever you think you might have an impact – at an event, community space, or even through your neighbours’ letterboxes! 

Some of the most common venues for reindeer displays are publicly owned. This means that local residents’ money is being used to force reindeer into being exhibited in town squares, markets, parks, public streets and even museums. There are, however, progressive councils throughout the country that have adopted compassionate policies against the exhibition of wild animals on public land – and yours could be one of them. If you would like to access support and resources to help you lobby your local council for a change in policy, get in touch. 

Order campaign resources

Unhappy Christmas for Reindeer (poster)

With the message that "Reindeer should be wandering the wild, not living in captivity and used as props" these posters are ideal for displaying in your window or on local community noticeboards, or even used to make your own placards!