It is not even October but the Christmas chatter has started.
Shops are stocking their shelves, people are planning work parties, and we are already being sold the idea of what makes a magical holiday season. Sadly, for too many animals, this time of year means anything but joy.
Read more below.
Animal Aid launched their campaign back in 2017 to end the use of live reindeer and other animals in Christmas events. Since then, they have shone a light on the cruelty behind these so-called festive attractions. Reindeer are gentle, semi-wild animals who belong in the Arctic tundra. They should be roaming snowy landscapes in herds, nibbling on lichen and herbs, not penned into shopping centres or forced to march down high streets under flashing lights and blaring music.
The reality of captivity for reindeer is heartbreaking. Investigations have found animals kept in cramped conditions, suffering from raw skin, diarrhoea and stress. The very things that make them reindeer, such as roaming long distances in the cold and eating their natural diet, cannot be replicated in captivity. Instead they are paraded around for human entertainment and endure long transport journeys, unnatural diets and the constant stress of noise and crowds.
We have been sold the idea that reindeer equal Christmas. A poem written more than two hundred years ago turned them into mythical creatures pulling Santa through snowy skies, but that story has been twisted into a marketing opportunity that treats living beings as props. It is not magical for the reindeer.
Animal Aid and their coalition partners have been tireless in challenging organisers to choose animal-free alternatives. Their children’s book Rollo’s Long Way Home tells the story of a reindeer escaping captivity and returning to the wild where he belongs. It has been shared with schools and grassroots groups to encourage a kinder way of thinking about the season. This kind of imaginative storytelling is exactly what we need if we want to make compassion the centrepiece of Christmas.
The truth is people do not need live animals to make December special. We can create wonder through lights, music, storytelling, community events and food… and by acting compassionately. There are countless ways to celebrate without forcing animals into situations that cause stress, suffering and sometimes even death.
As the festive season approaches, I encourage you to help Animal Aid in their mission. If you see an event in your area using live animals, you can report it directly using their online form. Animal Aid will do their best to intervene and contact the organisers. Together we can make sure Christmas does not come at the expense of reindeer or any other animal.
You can report live animal events online here.
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