2024 Reindeer Campaign Round-Up!

The reindeer coalition 

We are grateful to work alongside Born Free Foundation, Freedom For Animals and OneKind each year as part of a reindeer coalition. (Thank you to Freedom For Animals for compiling the following data).

This year, 21 groups (including the four coalition groups) signed an open-letter asking event organisers to go animal-free. This was sent to 295 events. Seven events, which planned to use reindeer, then cancelled their plans after public outcry and the coalition’s letter. In addition, 123 reindeer events received our joint letter in 2023, of which 43 went animal-free in 2024 – which is a 35% success rate! These statistics highlight the growing compassion towards reindeer. 

 However, there is still some way go. Heartbreakingly, of the reindeer events we know about, on average, reindeer were made to travel 73.5 miles from their ‘homes’ to events. Transportation is known to be a stressful experience for reindeer, who can experience mental and physical fatigue from this process, alongside loading and unloading and the pulling of Santa’s sleigh.

Furthermore, reindeer suffering was identified at multiple events. Footage obtained by the coalition and their supporters (of 8 different events) was sent to Dr Tayla Hammond, an animal welfare specialist, for review. The findings were stark – 75% of reindeer displayed stress indicators such as trembling or avoidance. In her conclusions, Dr Hammond recommended that alternatives to using live animals should be explored, to reduce reliance on practices which compromise welfare. You can read more about this here.

Fantastic local activists

As ever, there were so many brilliant local activists making a big difference in 2024. Lancaster Animal Protection, supported by Freedom for Animals, launched a petition (which you can still sign) and various outreach events to encourage Lancaster BID to cancel their reindeer event. Whilst the BID event did go ahead – they may decide to go animal-free in 2025 – so any support you can offer Lancaster Animal Protection in this mission would be fantastic. Indeed, well done to Lancaster University who did cancel their reindeer event in 2024.  

Merseyside Animal Rights also made a huge difference in 2024. In response to a local hotel using reindeer for a festive event, they peacefully protested outside and handed out leaflets. After discussions with hotel staff, the hotel has made a commitment to going animal-free in 2025. Wonderful news! 

Rollo’s Long Way Home

 2024 was also the year Animal Aid launched our very own children’s book, Rollo’s Long Way Home! This told the tale of a reindeer called Rollo who is fed up with his life in captivity and journeys home to the wild, where he belongs. 

 Thanks to so many of you buying our book, and the generosity of an anonymous donor, we were able to send out free copies of the book to over 150 schools. And, we will be able to send out more free copies ahead of the festive season this year! This enables the message of compassion towards animals to spread further. 

 Additionally, the wonderful Lancaster Animal Rights held a children’s storytelling event using Rollo’s Long Way Home in their campaign to end the use of reindeers in their local area. It was a brilliant event – someone even brought along Rollo’s oat biscuits! (recipe in the back of the book….). 

Buy your copy of Rollo’s Long Way Home here!

Rollo Adverts Hit Ascot

And finally, our advertisements featuring our very own Rollo the Reindeer hit Ascot! Across December, we had ads in train stations in Ascot, and a ‘digivan’ making the rounds asking people not to attend events using live animals. Lapland UK (in Ascot) has continued to use reindeers and huskies in their Christmas event each year, despite mass public outcry and tens and thousands of signatures on two petitions. Our van, which stopped by Lapland UK, reached more than 67,000 people.  

Thank you!

As ever, thank you to everyone who let us know about festive events using reindeer and other animals, signed a petition, wrote to event-organisers or campaigned in their local area and shared our posts on social media. It all makes a big difference and together we will make the festive season a time of compassion towards all animals.