AS THE Christmas season approaches, reindeer are being transported up and down the country to be used as entertainment in parades, Santas’ grottos and other festive events.
Uprooting reindeer from their natural habitat and keeping them in captivity in this way causes significant health and welfare problems and according to research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, is thought to be linked to the recent increase in deaths in young reindeer.
These include seven reindeer which died from liver and gut flukes in Shropshire and another which died from a lung disease on a farm near Winchester.
Quite simply, these semi-wild animals are used to roaming the Arctic tundra and eating lichen, not living on farms and being paraded around shopping centres in Britain.
Animal Aid urges people to be compassionate this Christmas and choose cruelty-free entertainment.
ASHLEY OWEN, Animal Aid, Bradford Street, Tonbridge, Kent
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