Iconic Pet Reindeer in Alaska Falls Mysteriously Ill After Someone Tampers in His Pen

Albert Whitehead spends time with Star, his pet reindeer, in his pen with downtown Anchorage, Alaska in the background on March 11, 2025. Mark Thiessen/AP Photo

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—An iconic reindeer so beloved that he has been in parades, featured on reality TV shows, and visited by schoolchildren on field trips in Alaska’s largest city is fighting for his life after mysteriously falling ill after someone tampered with his pen.

Ever since, 8-year-old Star has had pneumonia, digestion issues, and rapid weight loss. Star’s owner, Albert Whitehead, has taken him to a veterinarian every other day to receive care and in hopes of finding a cause for the issues.