RAISING REINDEER
Clare farm has largest display of live reindeer in world
By Teressa Donovan
We all know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen- but do you know the famous reindeer farm in Clare? The Rooftop Landing Reindeer farm is a family owned and operated business that specializes in offering trained reindeer for holiday events.
Dave and Dan Aldrich own the reindeer farm. This father and son duo and their reindeer travel all over Michigan for a variety of events. The Aldrich’s currently own 16 reindeer.
“Our reindeer are like family,” said Dave. “Immediately after they’re born, we start training them,” said Dave. “The mother cleans them off in the stall, and after the baby is clean, I hold the baby for hours at a time in my lap to desensitize them to humans,” said Dave.
“I begin to lead them around, and call them by names. They have excellent memories. We start to introduce them to all sorts of new things” said Dave.
“We prepare them to socialize with children, people and other animals. We anticipate anything that may come across their paths, and we train and prepare them for it,” stated Dave.
The Aldrich’s prepare them for loud noises, sirens, children, traveling, and photo shoots. They train them how to walk in a parade, and allow children to touch them.
Dave and Dan are preparing for their busy season. The reindeer farm will be busy with the reindeer being booked for several different events for the holiday season. “Our first show was last Monday,” said Dave.
“We took the reindeer down to Grand Rapids,” said Dave. The reindeer know when they are about to leave the farm. “When we back the trailer up, they jockey for position,” said Dan.
Most people wouldn’t expect a reindeer to be smart. “I can call them by name and they recognize their name. They’re very fun and intelligent animals” said Dave. “They’re easier to raise than monkeys and tigers, except there are several different regulations,” said Dave.
“In order for us to own and display the reindeer we have to follow federal and state regulations,” stated Dave. “The laws are strict and enforced. When one of the reindeer passes away, we have to send them to Michigan State University for testing.”
“Reindeer are not a native to the U.S., but they are a member of the deer family and due to the white tail disease and T.B. each person that owns them must have them licensed,” said Dave.
“These animals are so smart, that they even can recall things and remember them for over a year,” Dave proudly stated. “I know this for a fact, because every year, I would take them to Brooklyn, Michigan and a woman would give them apples. Every year after the first time the woman gave them apples, they’ve remembered where the lady’s store was,” said Dave.
“As soon as we get them out of the trailer they head right for their lady with the apples store. It’s truly amazing how smart they are. Once you teach them something they never forget it,” Dave proudly admitted.
“They are able to recall certain people, particularly kids,” said Dave. “20 kids could be around, and the reindeer will recall seeing a certain child, and tends to pay extra attention to that certain child”.
　
Dave has been raising reindeer for over 19 years. In fact, the Aldrich’s have one of their original reindeer. Comet is 19-years-old, and currently is the oldest reindeer in the country.
A reindeer’s lifespan is typically 14-15 years old in the United States. “Reindeer typically live for 9 to 10 years where they come from (the Artic Circle)” said Dave.
Dave and Dan take their work seriously, but it’s more of a hobby for them. Dave’s hobby was raising European and Japanese deer. He also had raised horses. Fortunately, Dave was able to get his hands on a reindeer.
” I figured out how intelligent reindeer are, and I got rid of all of my horses and other animals and began to focus on reindeer,” said Dave. Currently, the Aldridge’s have the largest display of reindeer in the country.
” I’ve been doing this since I was 14 or 15 years old,” Dan explained. “As soon as I was done with school, I moved up to Clare to start my own farm”.
Eventually, Dave closed his restaurant and joined his son Dan. The two combined farms and continued doing what they both love to do.
As with any job, there is a downside. “The downside for me is that I never take a vacation. I don’t like to leave them. My summers are spent training them. It takes me 4 months to train them, but once they learn something, they never forget it,” explained Dave.
All of the reindeer are fed “hay and pellet product that looks just like horse feed,” said Dan.
“They need copper in their diet more than any other animal, it helps them to develop their antlers and keeps the female reindeer from aborting their babies” said Dan.
The reindeer shed their antlers every April, and it takes them 6-8 weeks to grow back. “Their antlers grow about a inch a day,” said Dan.
“Our reindeer are easy to tell apart. They’re all unique. Each one has a different look to them, and they have very different facial moments,” said Dave.
“It’s very easy to tell them apart by their antlers,” said Dave. However, the Aldrich’s own one that looks very different than the reindeer on the farm. Blizzard is their 4 year old, all white reindeer.
“Blizzard only goes to certain locations, and each place she goes, there’s a press release sent out,” said Dave. “There are only a handful of all white reindeer”.
Oddly enough, Blizzards mother would have a pinto colored (white and brown) reindeer and then a white one. This was a pattern for Blizzard’s mother.
The reindeer all have different personality traits. For example, one of the reindeer seems to enjoy taking photos with the children. One of the reindeer
　
Rooftop Landing Reindeer Farm and the Clare Chamber of Commerce is having a big event in Clare on November 29th. The event will be downtown, and 10 of their reindeer will be on display. “We typically only take 2 reindeer to an event”, stated Dan.
The event downtown starts at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Children can take photos with the reindeer from 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. “We will bring 10 employees with us, since this is our first time taking 10 reindeer with us,” stated Dan.
The Rooftop Landing Reindeer are scheduled for another event that same day at Mancino’s, located at 10348 S. Clare Ave. A few of the reindeer will be there and available to take photos.
Rooftop Landing Reindeer Farm is located in Clare, and anyone with questions or if you would like to book the reindeer for a special event, please call Dave or Dan Aldrich at 989-802-0709 or visit: www.rooftopreindeer.com.
　
