New analysis of footage from 2024 festive events confirms reindeer suffering

The key findings include: 

• 75% of the animals displayed stress indicators, such as trembling or avoidance  

• Calm behaviours were only recorded in 12.5% of reindeer.  

• Space provided for reindeer was considerably restricted in 87.5% of events, with poor ground conditions in 75% and loud noise exposure in 87.5%.  

• Handlers often physically held reindeer in place, forcing interactions with the public and limiting their agency.  

Behavioural Interaction  

• Opportunities for natural behaviours were severely limited, with these types of behaviours, such as grooming, foraging, or resting, only observed in 25% of events.  

Nina Copleston-Hawkens, Animal Aid Campaign Manager, said: 

“This new analysis of reindeer welfare by Dr Tayla Hammond highlights the suffering that reindeer endure in the name of ‘festive entertainment’. It is hard to imagine how stressful these events must be for reindeer – taken to a busy environment, surrounded by unfamiliar sights and smells and excitable people demanding interaction, and so often a long and gruelling journey away from where they live.  

“Indeed, it is saddening that even when the bright lights of the festive season are over, so many reindeer return to their lives in captivity – a life so at odds with the life they should be living in the wild. There is nothing merry or magical about diminishing an animal’s life for the sake of entertainment. It’s time for festive events around the UK to go animal-free.” 

Further reading

Find out more on OneKind’s blog (and watch some of the footage)

Read Dr Tayla Hammond’s 2023 report into reindeer welfare

Find out more about our reindeer campaign 

Thank you to OneKind for the photograph above – taken at a festive event in Glasgow 2024.