Harvest Moon 64/Animals

There are three classes of animals in Harvest Moon 64: wild animals, pets, and livestock.

Wild animals are mostly used to create atmosphere. There are different wild animals for each season, such as snakes and monkeys in summer and butterflies in spring. Wild animals can be picked up and shown to people, but have no other real purpose.

There are two pets available in the game: a dog and a horse. You start with a dog that once belonged to the grandfather, but was passed on to you after his death. The dog can participate in the Dog Race later in the game. Because the dog cannot really be trained, how well the dog does in this race depends on how well it was treated and how much affection it has towardyou. The horse must be obtained from Ann, who lives on Green Ranch, during the first spring. Once it reaches adulthood, the horse can be ridden around the farm and may be used as a portable shipping crate. The horse can participate in the Horse Races later in the game as well.

Livestock may be bought from Ann's father at Green Ranch. Livestock available to buy include cows, sheep, and chickens. The coop holds a maximum of 6 chickens and the barn holds a total of 8 cows and sheep. These animals require food and tender loving care in order to produce better, more valuable products. If livestock are not either fed or are left outside in the rain, they will become sick. Cows and sheep will remain sick until the player gives it a potion. Unlike pets, who seem to be invincible, if neglected for too long, livestock can die. When an animal dies, there is a small funeral cut scene where it is buried in the small stone graveyard in West Flowerbud Village.