Welcome to Leopold’s Christmas Reindeer

The reindeer that we own are DOMESTICATED and not captured, wild caught or captive bred. They are DOMESTICATED and this species of animal has been domesticated and farmed by humans for thousands of years. All of our reindeer have been born here in the UK including our two homebred calves. Wild deer have completely different temperaments and DNA to domesticated deer and as we see in many species such as horses, cats and dogs, reindeer are animals who are happy to work with humans for mutual benefit. We feed our reindeer on high quality feed, treats and mosses and house them in a large paddock with access to two field shelters full of fresh bedding which is changed daily. They have access to fresh water, companionship within the carefully managed herd and have complete protection from all predators therefore they are very tame, friendly and can be seen playing with each other and our human family members on a daily basis. We have a very experienced team of vets and advisors who help maintain the high standard of health our reindeer are so well known for. The reindeer are all wormed regularly, fully vaccinated and have access to vitamin licks and as much Scandinavian lichen as they can eat. They are handled daily and never object to a harness or headcollar being placed on them. Our reindeer all have different personalities and some of them prefer to be left in the field while some of them actively seek out human attention and offer their love and companionship without question. When a reindeer chooses to work for you it is a privilege. We have a close working relationship with our reindeer based on mutual respect and understanding, Believe me! If a reindeer does not want to do something, you will not be able to force it to do it. You must ask and wait for compliance. It is a give and take situation and our staff are specially selected to have calm, assertive personalities and the ability to connect with the reindeer. These animals are stronger than horses and they must want to work rather than being forced to work. When they get into a trailer/wagon to go to a location and meet their adoring public, many times they actually pull us in and practically load themselves because they are keen to get going! We even have one who will have a strop if he thinks he is being left behind and will jump the gate. They then quietly lie down and chew the cud in the transporter until they reach their destination.We hold all necessary licences, insurances and certificates required to handle and show our animals and take their welfare very seriously as can be seen when they are out visiting the public. Our Reindeer do not suffer from stress because they are integrated into our way of life and are acclimatised not only to our weather but to their surroundings. When they go out to meet the public, each deer has a dedicated experienced handler who is extremely capable of supporting every need of the animal be it emotional or physical. They have a high-quality diet and no exposure to disease. Our reindeer are fat, friendly and happy, breeding well with glossy coats, large strong antlers and luscious beards. They are a picture of health and the reindeer at Leopolds Christmas Reindeer look forward to meeting the public throughout November and December.