Video games have great power as educational tools, but sometimes, I wonder if the right lessons are being taught. In this case, it’s Pet Pals: A New Leash On Life. This game, sponsored by the Humane Society and created by Legacy Interactive, shows kids how to play with and care for various animals. That’s fine, up until the syringes come out. You see, the game revolves around healing and caring for pets as a veterinarian, then training the recovering pets for adoption. This involves some seriously medical techniques including drugs, sedation, syringes, and other stuff you don’t want your six-year to unleash on poor Fluffy. Sure, most homes don’t have animal tranqs lying around, but a concerned kid with a good imagination can improvise with whatever might be lurking in the medicine cabinet.
Just saying.
In the game, the player takes on the role of a caretaker for various animals, and as the animals are healed, trained, and adopted, the player receives new responsibilities. The parts of Pet Pals that don’t involve sterilized cutlery center on playing with the animals, giving them attention, and teaching them how to love again. Awww.
Pet Pals: A New Leash on Life is a sponsored game, and shows it. The graphics are simple 3d, the sound and voice samples cheap, and the file size is huge — almost a gig. Still, a portion of the proceeds go to the Humane Society, and it’s another step forward in virtual education.
You can see a trailer for the game at petpalsgame.com, complete with spooky medical cat action.
The Human Society press release on Pet Pals is over here at hsus.org.
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