Some pretty interesting stuff came in through the mail today. One of it was a press release for Legacy Interactive’s Pet Pals: New Leash on Life which is now available for download at LegacyGames.com. The launch aside, it’s probably the first game I know of whereby part of the proceeds will actually go to charity, which in this case is The Humane Society of the United States.

Here’s the press release:

HELP SAVE A PET WITH LEGACY INTERACTIVE’S PET PALS: NEW LEASH ON LIFE SIMULATION VET GAME THAT IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PC DOWNLOAD
A Portion of The Game’s Sales Donated to The Humane Society of the United States

LOS ANGELES ­ (October 22, 2008) ‹ Legacy Interactive announced today that the latest title in their award winning Pet Pals series, Pet Pals: New Leash on Life, is available for download at www.legacygames.com.  In this simulation-vet game players can experience what it is like to be an actual veterinarian by diagnosing, operating, taking care of, feeding and playing with virtual pets. There is also an enrichment portion of the game that allows players to prepare the animals to be adopted into caring families.

In Pet Pals: New Leash on Life, the player assumes the role of a young veterinarian starting a job at an animal rescue center.  The player’s goal is to nurse all of the admitted animals back to health and ultimately place
them into permanent homes.  In the game players will encounter more than 30 different animal cases, derived from practicing veterinarians.  These range from a drooling rabbit to emergencies involving a dog who has been hit by a car or a kitten swallowing a piece of string. The player must heal and nurture these animals, along with 15 other breeds of dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals.

More than 45 realistic medical tools allow the player to gather samples, palpitate and examine the animals, and even perform surgery. Players help rescued animals through all phases of the recovery and then have a direct influence on their adoption.  When players are successful at treating and adopting out patients, they get a promotion.  With each promotion the player is given more responsibilities and increasingly more difficult cases to handle. Just as in the real world, during game-play, emergencies arise that
require immediate attention and players must prioritize their cases to make sure every animal has a successful recovery. Players have the opportunity to follow up with their animal patients to see how they succeeded with their treatments and will receive messages from the adoptive family updating them on the progress of their new pet.

In the new enrichment element players get to interact with their animals by petting them, playing fetch, training, grooming, and more in order to get them ready for adoption.  Also included in the game are a variety of engaging mini-games with tons of animal trivia and information on careers in the animal world.

Consistent with Legacy¹s frequent efforts to work with nonprofits, a portion of the sales from Pet Pals: New Leash on Life has provided financial support for The Humane Society of the United States.

“We are so excited to provide support for the invaluable programs of The Humane Society of the United States” said Ariella Lehrer, President and CEO, Legacy Interactive.  “We hope that by purchasing Pet Pals: New Leash on Life players will get the opportunity to see what it¹s like to be a vet, have fun and at the same time feel good about supporting a great animal protection organization.”

Rated E for Everyone, 8+, Pet Pals: New Leash on Life is available as a PC download for $19.95 at www.legacygames.com. The Mac version will be available for download in November 2008.

About The Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization – backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty. On the web at humanesociety.org.

About Legacy Interactive
Legacy Interactive (www.legacyinteractive.com) is a leading developer and publisher of casual games. Entertaining customers since 1998, the company has built a reputation for creating intelligent, realistic and engaging games for a broad audience.  Located in Los Angeles, Legacy is known for its TV-branded games, such as Law & Order and The Apprentice, as well as for its realistic simulation games Emergency Room®, Pet Pals�, and Zoo Vet. Through Legacy’s popular game network at www.legacygames.com, customers can play more than 500 games plus read and write reviews, share play lists, and create their own gaming profiles.  Legacy games are also available at retailers nationwide on a variety of platforms including PC, Mac, Mobile, handheld, and console. The company¹s games are distributed worldwide, in more than 12 languages, through its partners Ubisoft, Mindscape, 505 Games, and JoWood.