Oh deer: Outrage after SU reindeer event cancelled over ‘welfare issues’

The annual SU reindeer appearance has been cancelled over animal welfare issues. 

In the most anti-Christmas scandal to date, the SU apologised for lack of furry friends at Interval Café this year.

Every year as part of the USE Winter Fayre in the Union, a wide range of Christmassy activities take place in the Union Garden and the Raynor Lounge, including covered stalls, mulled wine and Christmas lights.

Deer oh deer

As you’d expect, the highlight of the event was always the much anticipated caribou guest appearance- an extremely friendly, equally as cute reindeer who was fauned over, stroked and adored by the masses.

However, due to ‘animal welfare concerns’, this years duplicate event which took place on December 2^nd was distinctly lacking in the antlered animal department.

Patrick Rynne-Coleman, a Law and French fresher, said: “While it’s good to know the University is concerned with animal welfare, interfering with Christmas is really a step too far.

“It’s an outrage, quite frankly. A bureaucratic disaster.”

To add to our all-consuming caribou-less pain, it seems as if this travesty comes at the request of concerned students who were left worried after last year’s event.

The conditions in which the reindeer were kept remain unclear, but it seems baffling that a certain minority didn’t come away with the same festive satisfaction the rest of us did.

“It’s just a bit of harmless Christmas fun isn’t it? There’s always a few ruining the fun for everyone else.” said second year Chemist Louis Ekoku.

Anti-reindeer feedback?!

What next? Santa banned for his anti-female catchphrase? Mandatory gluten free mince pies so as not to offend those with food intolerance?