RICHMOND — A permit has been issued to Nicolas “Santa” Claus, of the North Pole, to bring his herd of “eight tiny reindeer” and one additional rare, red-nosed reindeer into Virginia on the evening of Dec. 24, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced Wednesday.
According to a press release, Dr. Charlie Broaddus, State Veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), gave the approval.
“Santa travels to Virginia each year with his herd of reindeer, and while his visit is brief, it is still vitally important to Virginia’s agricultural industry that the reindeer are safe and healthy. Santa takes great care of his herd, and I am happy to issue an approved permit,” said Broaddus.
While the USDA regulates the international movement of animals, the VDACS Office of Veterinary Services regulates the movement of animals into the Commonwealth of Virginia, the department said, and DWR is charged with the management of the state’s wildlife resources.
According to the department, all ruminants entering the state must bear identification, and the identification number must be noted on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). That identification can be an ear tag issued by a state or federal entity, or other forms of identification approved by the State Veterinarian, necessary in tracing animals in the event of a significant disease outbreak.
The department noted that the importation of deer into Virginia is generally prohibited, thus the State Veterinarian collaborated with DWR to issue the permit. A DWR permit is required to possess any member of the deer family in Virginia, it said.
“I love delivering Christmas presents to the Commonwealth. Virginia farmers produce some of the best products in the world. I especially enjoy the milk and eggnog and my reindeer really love Virginia Grown carrots and apples,” Santa is quoted in the press release.
