Take Action for Animals used in Festive Events

Here are several ways that you can help live reindeer and other animals used at festive events: 

1. Tell Animal Aid if you hear of any events in your area, that are not listed on our map below, which are planning to use captive animals. We rely on our wonderful supporters to tell us about these events, so that we can contact them to ask about their use of live animals and to explain how the animals can suffer. 
2. Boycott events using live animals and ask friends and family to do likewise.  
3. Contact event organisers, who plan to use animals in their festive events, to politely explain why you will not be attending. You can use our sample letter for suggestions. Please ask friends and family to contact them too. 
4. Write a letter to your local newspaper to raise awareness of the cruelty involved in such events and to urge the public to boycott local events. Here is a sample letter to help you.  
5. Ask your local authority to sign the pledge for festive animal-free events by emailing or writing them a letter. Please let us know if you get a response. You could also send them our “Alternatives to Cruel Reindeer Parades” guide.
6. Hand out our “Unhappy Christmas for Reindeer” leaflets to raise awareness for reindeer and other animals used in festive events. Contact us and let us know how many you will need. 
7. Organise a peaceful protest near a planned event to show opposition to using captive animals in festive events and to spread awareness among people who might be planning to attend. Please get in touch so Animal Aid can provide leaflets and support. 
8. Read the OneKind report to find out more about how reindeer suffer at events and in captivity in the UK – view the full report or report summary.

Please consider donating to Animal Aid to help support our campaign against reindeer and other animals used at festive events. 

Local Groups 

Animal Aid provides support and advice for local groups looking to launch a more in-depth campaign against a particular event or their local authority’s use of live animals at Christmas. Please get in touch for more information. Contact info@animalaid.org.uk

Find festive events using live animals in your area by using Freedom For Animals’ map below.

If an event-organiser decides to stop using live reindeer, their pin will go from red to green!

To contact an event-organiser, simply click on the pin for the appropriate contact details.

Need some inspiration?  

Here are a few of the ways our amazing supporters challenged the exploitation of reindeer in 2022.

Please note, Animal Aid does not support illegal activity, violence or use of threatening language. Therefore, we would like to remind anyone contacting event organisers, either by email, phone, on social media or at an event itself, to always remain polite. Thank you.