I have once again written to LaplandUK regarding the use of live animals in their event. Sadly, we could not save the animals distress this year but we can certainly try and urge LaplandUK to drop this cruel element from their event for 2023.

I will let you know if I hear back from them but sadly they did not respond to my last e-mail so I am not hopeful!

E-mail sent to LaplandUK 04.01.23:

Further to our previous correspondence, I write to you yet again regarding the use of live animals in your event. 

It is so disappointing that again you chose to use live reindeer at your event in 2022 and that you also added huskies to the event this year as well. The use of live reindeer and huskies as props for entertainment purposes is unnecessary, cruel, and completely outdated. Animals are no longer used in circuses in England and this cruelty was finally banned in 2020 - this alone should show LaplandUk how public opinion has changed on the use of live animals as "entertainment".

Reindeers travel up to 200 miles a day in their natural habitat and should not be subjected to enclosed spaces, cramped transit conditions, crowds of onlookers, and forced public interactions. Reindeer are prone to stress but are unlikely to exhibit indicators of this and therefore, despite your statement that you are "happy" with how the reindeer are treated, you cannot definitively say that the animals are healthy and happy in such unnatural environments. 

All major animal rights and animal welfare charities, including the UK public’s most trusted authority the RSPCA, have spoken out to call for an end to the use of reindeer, and indeed any live animals, in festive events. Many reindeer hire companies claim to meet the highest welfare standards for the animals, however, experts agree that the very nature of using animals for events induces stress and related illnesses which could even be fatal. The only organisations that continue to claim that using reindeer for events is harmless are the companies that stand to profit from it. Because of this, the vast majority of event organisers choose the compassionate, animal-free option and I would strongly urge LaplandUk to do this and not use any live animals in their events in 2023.

I would also draw your attention to the fact that I am not a singular voice here - 35,387 people so far have signed my petition (which can be found here) urging LaplandUK to cease using live animals at their events and I would strongly urge you to listen. Just some of the comments on the petition are below, but there are many, many others: 

• "Gandhi said, ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals,’ one day in years to come we will look back on how animals were abused, exploited and farmed; the latter being one of the most barbaric and unethical practices throughout our entire history on a mass scale. We need to STOP this abuse now, for reindeers, donkeys and all animals used for entertainment . It is unethical and absolutely unnecessary." - T.B.
• "Animals should not be used for our 'entertainment' in this day and age as their welfare should come before this - it's just NOT needed, it's just something people use animals for to attract more people and make more money at events. There are undoubtedly other more inventive ideas to do this that could be employed than taking the easy option of using animals." - C.C.
• "Animal cruelty is not Christmas spirit" - M.T.
• "This is a disgrace. This is cruel exploitation Just to keep some romantic fantasy alive about Christmas. And all to make money! There's no justification! It's shameful and despicable!" - A. K.
• "It is time to move on from this outdated exploitative 'entertainment'. Christmas events are not the place for these beautiful animals. Use animatronics for displays." - Y.G.
• "It’s cruel to remove reindeer from their natural habitat where they have evolved to eat vegetation that only grows in the Arctic tundra- they get sick when they do not have their proper food source and stressed when treated as a sideshow . It’s a wicked thing to do. As cruel as any third world zoo keeping elephants or tigers in concrete pits to be stared at." - J.J.
• "I think these poor animals should not be used for people's fun, it is absolutely disgusting, & so VERY, VERY cruel, it must be stopped & banned & it needs to be done NOW." - Y. W.
• "Animals are not ours for entertainment. Stop profiting over unnecessary abuse to animals and consider their welfare instead by NOT using animals for human entertainment. They don't enjoy it. Don't let them suffer. Find other ways to bring people in, not using animals to make your profits." - A.R.
• "It’s 2022 and we understand that animals are not here for us to exploit for entertainment. Most people are opposed to it so stop it now." - A.C.
• "These animals are being kept in conditions that are tantamount to cruelty. Their needs are highly specialised and cannot be met in an entertainment environment." - J.L.
• "People are just out for money these are living creatures be respectful to animals and humans alike it’s like going back 100 years to freak shows these animals feel pain and get frightened they also feel contentment and love so why if these people want to put on a show they dress up as reindeers and dogs because they have free will unlike there slaves" - A.I.
• "This is very lazy old and myopic thinking by Lapland UK." - A.G.
• "They don't allow wild animals in circuses any more so why is this allowed to happen, it's just plain cruel." - L.H.
• "Other animals are here with us, not for us. They are thinking feeling beings with their own emotions. They are not here to be exploited." - M. B. 

Knowing how opposed the public are to using live animals as "entertainment" I trust that LaplandUK will now make a commitment to ceasing using live animals at future events. My petition is growing in numbers each day and will continue to grow - this issue is not going to disappear so please listen to the public and do the right thing.