Jacob Ogles
With two days until Christmas, Nikki Fried gave the clear to St. Nicholas’ sleigh and nine tiny reindeer.
Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner on Wednesday issued a certificate of animal movement for Santa and Mrs. Claus, a North Pole couple planning a global expedition beginning Thursday evening.
The broad certificate grants extraordinary freedom for the Clauses to make their way through the Sunshine State. Between the hours of 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 7 a.m. Dec. 25, permission has been granted to enter and exit all Florida homes, domiciles, encampments and premises.
Perhaps most important, the Christmas convoy, which plans to deliver toys and packaged tied up in bows at each location where it stops, has the clearance to pass through or over any U.S. port in the state of Florida.
“Given the challenges of this year, we want to ensure Santa Claus can safely travel the state and spread Christmas joy to all of Florida’s children,” Fried said in a statement. “As Florida’s regulator for the entry of animals, we’re pleased to issue Santa’s necessary Certificate of Animal Movement early, waive all fees, and ensure proper safety protocols to protect against livestock diseases and COVID-19. On behalf of Floridians, we wish Santa and his reindeer good luck and a pleasant visit to the Sunshine State.”
Despite news that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has already administered one of the limited doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Claus, Fried did advise the international traveler to wear a mask while delivering gifts.
The traveling group of reindeer must go through the same routine safety and sanitization protocols as other gathered herd driven across the state. Reindeer fall into the classification of cervids, the same as elk or moose, which means each animal must be tagged and registered.
Veterinary inspections are also required, but that’s already been taken care of, as State Veterinarian Michael Short has already inspected the reindeer.
The permit issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services applies to a specified group of reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. The latter, identifiable by a nasal deformity that casts an at-first troubling luminosity, has been called the most famous reindeer of all. Short confirmed the redness in Rudolph’s nose represents no health threat to others in the herd.
Because of pandemic concerns, port authorities in Florida were directed at appropriate moments to disinfect the underside of Claus’ sleigh, an easily identifiable aircraft for the fact that it has jingle bells attached. When the sleigh must stop for animal inspections, Claus’ boots and gloves must be sanitized.
