Santa's Reindeer For Rent

A handful of entrepreneurial ranchers cater to people who want to spice up their holiday events with live animals. Yes, that is a live reindeer, sharp antlers and all. Step right up to the sleigh to take your Christmas photos. A woman in an elf costume keeps a tight grip on the reindeer's collar. Holiday shopping is in full swing here at Swanson's Nursery in Seattle. The reindeer handler is Sonya Benhardt. She and her husband Ed own Reindeer Express. That's one of a handful of ranches in the Northwest that rent out live reindeer for holiday promotions and pageants. Ed Benhardt says he got the idea from reindeer ranchers back East. "You know, a business wants to draw people in and there's nothing better during the holidays to draw people in than live reindeer," he says. The business started with two domesticated reindeer in 1998. Now there's a herd of about 40 on the ranch near the small eastern Washington town of Reardan...more