What would Christmas be without a little bit of drama?

We might expect family chaos, stingy gifts, and drunken mistakes, but who can actually picture Santa Claus’ reindeer on the loose?

An incident that saw Blue and Blitzen, two reindeer, running away from a Christmas attraction over last weekend caused quite a commotion in Suffolk.

Owned by reindeer hire company Majestic Reindeer, Blue and Blitzen, amongst other members of their herd, had been brought to Elveden Estate, one of the biggest farms in the UK, where they had been taken for an event featuring Santa’s grotto, the BBC reported.

An incident that saw Blue and Blitzen, two reindeer, running away from a Christmas attraction last weekend caused quite a commotion in Suffolk

Image credits: Mathias Elle/Unsplash

But on Sunday (December 3), police were reportedly called with reports that the two rogue reindeer had been spotted on a main road nearby.

As per the British broadcaster, the road was closed in both directions to keep everyone safe and re-opened three hours later, once the reindeer had moved away. Blue and Blitzen were eventually captured the next day.

Image credits: Elveden Estate

“They went for quite a run,” a spokesperson for Elveden Estate recalled. “We located them last night, but couldn’t get close enough to bring them in, and then it became too dark.”

They reportedly said the owner came back on Monday (December 4) with another reindeer to help out, along with some food, and eventually managed to get Santa’s rebellious helpers to safety.

Blue and Blitzen, amongst other members of their herd, had been brought to Elveden Estate where they had been taken for an event featuring Santa’s grotto

Image credits: Majestic Reindeer

Majestic Reindeer are not open about their location in their online presence, Freedom For Animals critiqued. However, some investigation indicates that they are based around Boston, Lincolnshire.

The animal rights group argued that the reindeer might’ve wanted to escape the event after enduring a lengthy journey of around 60 miles before even arriving on-site at the Elveden Estate.

Image credits: Majestic Reindeer

Angie, who runs Real Reindeer, explained why such an incident was an unusual occurrence. She told Bored Panda: “It is not common… each company which hires out reindeer has an obligation to assess the risks at the venue and reduce or remove anything which may be an issue.”

The expert, whose herd includes Scandinavian-named reindeer, including Sven, Torston, Moosti, Ingalill, Anna, Malmo, Kalix, Haag, Boda, Magnus, and Abisko, explained that the animals should be displayed in a manner that means they are safe and secure.

“If spooked, they are under the control of a handler at all times,” Angie added. She further stated: “I do not know any details of how the reindeer were displayed or indeed if the enclosure they were in was suitable and if they were under the control of handlers, only the reindeer owners and the Estate farm have these facts.”

“Each company which hires out reindeer has an obligation to access the risks at the venue,” Angie, who runs a reindeer for hire business, explained

Image credits: Majestic Reindeer

Real Reindeer, located in rural England, has been described as “herd leaders” in the UK for reindeer hire and exhibiting reindeer at events, from small private parties to large public gatherings.

As per its official website, Angie has a close association with a Sami family (the traditional Scandinavian reindeer herders), which has enabled her to acquire the knowledge and expertise for successful reindeer keeping.

“Reindeer are very happy as they have been domesticated for hundreds of years and live very happily and indeed thrive in England,” Angie said.

The business runner, who has had reindeer for 16 years, continued: “I have a herd of 40 reindeer, old ones, retired ones, and babies. The reindeer are very engaging with us and enjoy human interaction and if there are any which do not, they do not go out but live out their lives with me.” 

Naturally, many people were amused by the incident

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