Parents' Guide to

Zoo Vet

By Jinny Gudmundsen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Kids heal animals in a virtual zoo.

Game Windows , Mac 2005
Zoo Vet Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What’s It About?

ZOO VET from Legacy Interactive is a compelling computer simulation that teaches about healing sick zoo animals. Players become veterinarians at a zoo. Using more than 30 realistic medical tools, kids examine 25 species in 30 hands-on scenarios. In one, they will heal an otter that is spitting out food, and in another, they'll discover why a polar bear has become lethargic.

In a short video sequence, the concerned zookeeper briefs the player; the program offers hints and suggestions of how to examine and then treat each ailment, with more direction being offered on the easiest of three levels of difficulty. For example, faced with a rhino that has loose stools, the player will be directed to use the magnifying glass to look at the stool and then use a stool sample kit. When worms are discovered in the stool, the player learns to medicate the rhino's feed. The zoo's head veterinarian mentors the player and critiques each case.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3 ):

Kids who are squeamish about blood might not like the few scenarios that involve using a scalpel to cut skin. While the blood doesn't ooze, the inside of the cut looks realistic. This easy-to-play simulation provides a hands-on way of teaching children about zoo animal illnesses and how to make sick animals well.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about caring for animals. What does it take to be a responsible animal owner/caretaker? Does the fact that the animals in this game (and in real life!) can't talk make it harder to figure out what's wrong?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate