Featured Pet of the Day: The Reindeer

Happy Fursday, Missians! 

I hope this Thursday finds you all well.  As promised, I've scheduled this Saturday's episode of The Missy Show, "Christmas Traditions With Your Pet", on our Blog Talk Radio page.  Here is the episode description:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/shesatortie/2015/12/19/christmas-traditions-with-your-pet 

We'll air at our regular time of 5pm Central.  We hope you join us.

Okay, since it's nearly Christmas, and I've already done a pet trivia blog entry centered around reindeer, I felt like why not let our last Featured Pet entry before Christmas, be about reindeer too?
Last December, D and I aired an episode called, "All About Reindeer".  In that episode, we learned a lot about reindeer and how some people have them as pets.  Here's a link in case you missed it:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/shesatortie/2014/12/13/all-about-reindeer-the-christmas-animals-show

So hold on to your jingle bells, and get ready to learn about reindeer as pets!  Of course, this wouldn't be a practical pet choice for most of us, but in the spirit of Christmas, it's still a fun topic.  This is a link to the article supplying today's information:
https://suite.io/susie-yakowicz/4kzv2y5

Reindeer as Pets? Domesticated Wild Animal Makes Unique Pet

An adaptable and tame member of the deer family, reindeer have found a new way of life - as a unique family pet.

Susie Yakowicz

Dec 6, 2010Updated 6 months ago

Given the legend of Santa and his docile reindeer, it’s hard to imagine reindeer as wild animals. But wild animals they are - or at least some of them. An adaptable mammal genetically similar to the wild caribou, reindeer don’t just roam free in the forests and tundras of the world’s arctic regions. Many of them are found traveling in herds accompanied by their people - and as a unique family pet!

So what makes reindeer so adaptable to different living situations? And do they really make good pets? Here’s the scoop on this unusual, domesticated wild animal.

Reindeer – The Only Deer Family Member That Can be Domesticated

Reindeer have several physical traits that help them adapt to harsh, cold environments. Their antlers (belonging to both male and female reindeer) help drive other animals away; their sharp, broad hooves allow them to dig through deep snow for food; and their well-insulated coats keep them warm in frigid temperatures and icy, cold waters. But what makes these traditionally wild animals adaptable to civilized life is their gentle nature.

In fact, no other deer adapts to humans like reindeer. For many people in the arctic and subarctic regions of Europe and Asia, especially the Sami people of Scandinavia, that’s a good thing, since reindeer are a way of life and vital to the economy. In the village of Kautokeino, Norway, for example, reindeer herding is big business. There, reindeer outnumber the Sami population 93,000 to 3,000 and provide many goods, including butter, meat, cheese, clothing, and tools.

But not far away in Russia, the Nenet people have another purpose for reindeer: they’re kept as pets. And why not? Their tameness and friendly manner make them ideal pets, and with a lifespan of 12 to 15 years, reindeer can live as long as many cats and dogs. (However, their size, at around 200 pounds or more, is at least triple that of the average golden retriever!)

For Pet Owners, Gentle Reindeer Fill Many Roles

Russia isn’t the only place to find reindeer living as pets. In Anchorage, Alaska, Albert Whitehead and his pet reindeer Star are often seen strolling around town together. Some consider Star a unique and unusual pet choice, but leashed and walking obediently alongside her owner, she acts like a typical family dog. In an e-mail message on December 6, 2010, Whitehead added that she "loves to interact with people she meets, allowing them to touch her and pose with her for pictures." Star even recognizes certain people and identifies them as family.

In Fairbanks, Jane Atkinson and Doug Toelle share a similar story. They raise reindeer as pets on their ranch. Why did they choose reindeer? Because “they are so sweet,” Atkinson told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in December of 2009. And for the most part, she’s right. Still, they can get aggressive, especially males, as Atkinson and Toelle discovered with their pet reindeer Jasper. The vet advised cutting off Jasper’s antlers (which grow back) and hormone shots, both helpful remedies.

Jeff and Cindy Phillips of Erin, Wisconsin, had a slightly different reason for wanting reindeer pets. They’re “extraordinary and unique,” say the couple on their Reindeer Games website. But the Phillips’ reindeer serve many other purposes. Through their business, the Phillips offer reindeer for sale, school and home visits, parties, parades, sleigh rides, and more.

While these and other reindeer pet owners agree that reindeer make good pets, acquiring a reindeer is no small measure. It takes adequate space, a proper climate, and - like with any pet - time, work, patience, and money. Reindeer pet ownership isn’t for everyone, but anyone can still admire this unique member of the deer family, whose gentleness and adaptability make it a special animal, domesticated or wild.

Sources:

Associated Press. “First Person: A Man and His Pet Reindeer.” YouTube clip, accessed December 6, 2010.

“North American Mammals: Rangifer tarandus.” Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, mnh.si.edu.

O’Dair, Barbara. “Reindeer Country.” Reader’s Digest (Dec. 2010/Jan. 2011, p. 108).

Offer, David B. “Reindeer Make Good Pets for One Fairbanks Family.” Fairbanks Daily News – Miner, December 20, 2009.

 

See you guys tomorrow for our pet trivia blog entry!