Live deer have been used in the Christmas parade for the last five years in Brisbane.

The annual Christmas parade, which runs from the December 16 till Christmas Eve, features locally bred red deer as part of the event.

PETA Australia campaign co-ordinator Claire Fryer said using the deer sent a damaging message to young people and the wider community.

"It shows young people that animals are little more than props," Ms Fryer told 612 ABC Brisbane's Spencer Howson.

"There are many cruelty free ways for people to celebrate the holidays that would be far more in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

"The holidays are a time for compassion, kindness and I don't think they should be celebrated putting captive animals on display."

Ms Fryer said the deer were not willing participants in the parade and were not exhibiting their natural behaviour.

"The deer are no more suited to taking part in this event than they are pulling a sleigh through the sky," she said.

"These large deer are usually roaming over large areas ... they're not used to being tied to carriages or being patted by people."

This is not how we should be treating animals in Australia. A fully grown and overweight Santa should not be pulled around by 2 deer in the heat of summer on cement in the middle of a crowded and noisy city where people can touch them at will and shout as it passes by. We need to stop the blatant abuse of animals in front of children as a celebration in our culture.