Maybe One Day.

The use of domesticated and wild animals in zoos and circuses is being prohibited and criticized worldwide. So why is RHUL supporting the use of a captive reindeer, a semi-domesticated species, as a spectacle of entertainment for students? Reindeer live in large herds in remote and rural areas in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. They should not live in Surrey. It is unnatural to subjugate them to long travel by trailer, staring, and petting by human strangers all while being in an unfamiliar environment. While the reindeer involved may be acclimated to such conditions, the choice (of the organizer of the Festive Market) to include animals as petty entertainment is thoughtless at best and apathetic at worst. Exploiting a semi-domesticated species for entertainment lends support to the idea that it is okay to use wild animals for entertainment. Animals used in the entertainment industry are often subject to cruel and unsafe conditions, and justifying the hiring of one exploitative business lends legitimacy to the rest. Ban the use of animals, or AT LEAST wild animals, for entertainment at university events.