Reindeer have been associated with Santa Claus for centuries.
Days before Christmas, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) posted a strong message condemning the pulling of Santa’s sledge by reindeers. PETA generally opposes the use of animals for entertainment purposes and said Santa’s reindeers are being exploited for human amusement.
“Reindeer shouldn’t be anyone’s ride-not even Santa’s,” the animal rights body said in the post on X (formerly Twitter).
Reindeer shouldn’t be anyone’s ride—not even Santa’s ???? pic.twitter.com/cT0Ah52v1o
— PETA (@peta) December 21, 2023
The post, strategically shared during the holiday season, has garnered significant attention among social media users.
“If Santa was real and his reindeer did indeed fly, those reindeer would be trained to pull the sleigh. Animals are trained to do certain tasks. Animals love doing tasks for reward, and Santa, being the kindest man on Earth, would reward or treat them as the best animals on Earth,” commented a user.
To which PETA responds, “Animals are not ours to use in any way. Reindeer deserve to live peacefully in their natural habitat, free from human interference.”
“Santa and his reindeer aren’t real! Just for kids! They shouldn’t be abused or used, but come on,” commented another user.
“Why are we all really not letting this go? Do you really care more about the reindeer than the work conditions of the elves? Completely silent on the latter issue,” commented a third user.
Reindeers have been associated with Santa Claus for centuries, and they are an integral part of Christmas celebrations.