With their fluffy coats, big brown eyes and reputation as Santa’s helpers, reindeer are a common and popular attraction at Christmas markets around the UK.

But being stuck in a pen and approached by hordes of adoring fans is harming the mental and physical health of Rudolph and his brethren, animal charities have warned.

Websites offer reindeer for hire at events from £400, with the antlered creatures working stints between two and eight hours long. Venues they can be brought to by their handlers include shopping centres, weddings and corporate events as well as Christmas markets.

Though captive reindeer can be docile and friendly, they are semi-wild animals that should not be kept in enclosed spaces, experts have said, and the warm environments into which they are forced can cause distress to the animals, which originate from the Arctic.

A reindeer at Ascot racecourse last year. Unpredictable interactions with the public can cause the semi-wild animals distress, the charities say. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

Poor body weight, weight loss, muscle atrophy and general malaise are commonly reported problems in captive reindeer, the RSPCA said, and these problems are more pronounced in those driven around the UK from event to event.

The pressures of being on tour, including long distance travel, being loaded and unloaded repeatedly from trailers, as well as unpredictable interactions with the public, mean that reindeer for hire are at severe risk of physical and mental fatigue and associated illnesses.

Jennah Green, senior scientific officer at the RSPCA, said: “While we all love the magic and imagery of the festive season, the reality is that reindeer are being exploited and are really suffering. Reindeer are simply not suitable for use at Christmas markets or other commercial entertainment events.

“Reindeer are semi-wild animals that originate from Arctic climates which are very different to the UK and they’re susceptible to lots of health and welfare issues when they’re kept here. They retain strong wild instincts with highly specialised needs that are extremely difficult to cater for in captivity.”

A letter signed by 22 animal charities including Animal Aid, Born Free, the RSPCA and World Animal Protection is asking for an end to the use of reindeer as entertainment exhibits.

Reindeer at Newcastle’s Greys Monument event in 2018. Photograph: David Whinham/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

It says: “The pressures of regular long-distance travel, exposure to unnatural environments, physical labour such as pulling sleighs, and the lack of agency inherent in constant unfamiliar and unpredictable interactions with the public, result in reindeer used in festive entertainment being at severe risk of physical and mental fatigue and associated illnesses.”

skip past newsletter promotion

after newsletter promotion

A recent report by the animal welfare scientist Dr Tayla Hammond found 75% of reindeer at events surveyed were displaying signs of mental and physical illness.

The sensitive animals need specialist care, space to roam and an appropriately cool climate. A busy environment, surrounded by crowds, noise and lights during a festive event is completely inappropriate, experts say.

Dr Hammond’s report recommends keeping reindeer in a well-managed herd rather than taking them on tour in pairs across the country to be displayed in shopping centres and at Christmas markets.

The RSPCA said some events were listening to veterinary advice, and that 153 that previously used reindeer have switched to animal-free events since 2018. The charity is urging more events to follow that example.