Reindeer in festive events

The latest expert report documents reindeer being used in busy, noisy public environments such as garden centres, markets, town centres and parades, often confined to small, temporary enclosures and physically restrained. Across multiple events, reindeer were exposed to crowds, unfamiliar noise, dogs and constant public interaction, with limited opportunity to rest, withdraw or display natural behaviours. Observable impacts included poor body condition, abrasions, possible lameness, broken antlers (including in animals still in velvet) and sustained behavioural signs of stress such as heightened vigilance, startle responses and attempts to escape perceived threats.

The evidence reinforces what scientists have long warned: the wild conditions reindeer are biologically adapted for — roaming over vast distances, foraging on natural vegetation, living in large herds and existing in cold, low‑disturbance environments — cannot be replicated in captivity or at festive displays. Instead, captive reindeer are fed unnatural diets, transported long distances, confined to small spaces, kept in unnaturally small social groups and repeatedly exposed to stressful public settings. Expert analysis concludes that this mismatch risks long‑term, and in some cases irreversible, harm to both physical health and psychological wellbeing.

Together, the 2023 and 2025 findings show that serious concerns are not isolated or historical but ongoing.

You can read the full expert report, Technical Commentary on the Welfare of Reindeer Used in Public Festive Events in 2025: Review of Video Evidence, by Dr Tayla Hammond, here.