The official veterinarian of the North Pole, Dr José Arce, has given Santa’s reindeer the “all-clear” for their upcoming Christmas Eve flight. Dr Arce, who is also the current president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), visited the North Pole earlier this month to ensure that Santa’s team of nine were up-to-date on their vaccinations and paperwork, free of illness and injury, and healthy enough to make their annual trek around the globe.

 

“After a full examination and review of their medical records, I’m pleased to say that Santa’s reindeer are healthy, in great shape and ready to fly on Christmas Eve,” Dr Arce said.

 

As part of the examination, the jolly old man was granted an official Certificate of Animal Export, enabling him to freely cross borders and assure health officials that his reindeer pose no threat to animal or public health.

 

“It’s important that we make sure the reindeer aren’t harbouring any diseases that they could then potentially spread to animals in other parts of the world. At the same time, making sure they’re healthy also means that they’re less likely to catch any diseases themselves on that long flight around the globe,” said Dr Arce.

 

A yearly tradition for AVMA presidents, the widely-publicised reindeer inspection aims to raise public awareness of the role veterinarians play every day to ensure the health of animals, people and the environment across the globe. Read more

 

Image: Dr José Arce inspects one of Santa’s reindeer, source: AVMA YouTube page