An animal charity has called on a Braintree shopping centre to scrap ‘cruel’ plans to use live reindeer during Christmas events.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent a letter to George Yard manager Brenda Baker asking her to cancel plans to use live reindeer during Christmas events.

The charity said a busy attraction, such as its Reindeer Day tomorrow, is an unsuitable environment for reindeer and sends a damaging message to young people.

The letter said: “When used as holiday props, they're denied the opportunity to engage in natural behaviour, such as roaming freely across vast open ranges as they would in their native habitat.

“The practice of taking them on the road, confining them to pens, and treating them as mere Christmas decorations is unacceptable.

“We don't want our kids to grow up thinking that animals exist merely for our entertainment.

“Ending the use of reindeer would do nothing to diminish children's sense of magic during the festive period.

“For the animals, though, it would make a world of difference.”

Brenda Baker, George Yard centre manager, dismissed PETA's letter, saying all reindeer used were from a reputable company with an appropriate licence. 

Mrs Baker went as far as to say she didn't understand why PETA think they belong in the Arctic.

She said: “George Yard Shopping Centre is using a reputable and experienced company to provide a group of reindeers who are domesticated, just like cows and sheep. All of them were born and live in Kent.

“The animals are part of a herd of 100, most of whom spend part of their year showing people what they look like.

“Their visit enables an up-close experience not otherwise available without visiting the Reindeer Centre itself.”

The concerns were also brushed off by Freeport Braintree, another of the district’s shopping centres which uses live reindeer.

The centre claimed no animals were distressed and were farm bred so are used to dealing with children.

A spokesman for Freeport Braintree said: "Freeport Braintree is totally satisfied that the practices of the company that supplied the reindeer for our Christmas Light Switch On event are completely ethical and involve no distress to the animals concerned.

“They are very well established and practice good animal husbandry, and the welfare of the animals remains of upmost importance.

“It simply wouldn’t be an option for us to use live animals in the event if this was in any way cast into doubt.

“It is also worth noting that the reindeers that appeared at Freeport Braintree are not wild reindeer, they are farm bred and are used to dealing with children."

Both shopping centres have used reindeer during Christmas events this year, with George Yard scheduling one for tomorrow, November 25.