Government pressed to clarify rules on reindeer licensing

The Government has been questioned over the patchwork of licensing rules affecting reindeer keepers, after ministers confirmed that decisions on whether the animals require licences remain largely at the discretion of local authorities.

Sarah Dyke, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Rural Affairs, submitted two written parliamentary questions on 13 May seeking clarity on how licensing requirements are applied to farmed reindeer and whether the Government plans to update national guidance.

Dyke asked whether ministers had assessed the impact of differing local authority interpretations on the viability of small rural businesses that keep or exhibit reindeer. She also pressed the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on whether exemption guidance for farmed reindeer would be included in the forthcoming Standards of Modern Zoo Practice 2027.

Responding on behalf of the Government, Minister of State Angela Eagle said that reindeer may require licences when exhibited to the public, depending on whether the activity is permanent or temporary and whether it forms part of a business. She added that some reindeer species considered dangerous require additional licensing if kept outside a licensed zoo or pet shop.

Eagle stressed that licensing decisions remain a matter for individual local authorities, though the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 already allows small collections — including those with no more than 50 reindeer — to apply for dispensations that reduce inspection requirements and costs. The updated 2025 zoo standards, she said, apply to all licensed zoos, with existing mechanisms for exemptions based on the size and nature of collections.

Dyke’s questions follow her earlier attempt to legislate directly on the issue through the Reindeer (Licensing for Exhibition) Bill, introduced during the 2024–26 parliamentary session. The Private Member’s Bill sought to create a specific licensing framework for the exhibition of reindeer but did not progress before Parliament was prorogued in December 2025.

Her renewed scrutiny signals ongoing concern about the regulatory landscape for reindeer keepers — particularly small, seasonal or rural businesses — and whether current licensing arrangements strike the right balance between animal welfare, public safety and economic sustainability.