Friends

Mia's Wildlife Rescue

A little safari rescue with a genuinely new animal at its heart

Brick Rated Score

3.9/5

Set 41717 · 2022

Pieces439

Minifigs3

Year2022

Set number41717

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The verdict

The giraffe is what got me.

LEGO had never built one before this set, and seeing it stand there on those long jointed legs actually made me grin, it's a proper new animal, not another recolor job dressed up as news. Add a baby zebra, a rocky outcrop scene, and a scrappy little ATV, and you've got a set that feels like a genuine wildlife story rather than a house with a driveway. I will say it's a bit pricey for what's a fairly small, disconnected build, three separate little scenes instead of one satisfying whole, and if you don't already collect Friends sets, there's nothing else on shelves right now that pairs naturally with it. This one is for animal lovers and completionists first, general Friends fans second.

Best for: kids and collectors who love LEGO's animal builds more than the doll houses

The full review

What it is

The giraffe is what got me. LEGO had genuinely never molded one before 41717, and once it's standing up on those long jointed legs next to Mia's little rescue truck, it stops feeling like a toy animal and starts feeling like an actual giraffe. That's rare for a 439 piece Friends set. Alongside it you get a baby zebra, three mini dolls including Dr. Nakema the vet, an ATV to zip them around the savanna, and a small rocky outcrop scene where the animals graze. It's a wildlife story told in bricks, and for a kid (or adult) who loves LEGO's animal builds more than its houses, that's exactly the appeal.

The catch

I'll be honest about the caveats too. The zebra foal isn't actually a new animal, it's a recolor of an existing pony mold, so the 'two new animals' framing oversells it a touch. The set also splits into three smaller scenes rather than one connected build, which makes it feel less substantial than the piece count suggests, and at its original 44.99 to 49.99 price, reviewers at the time called it a little pricey for what you get. Brickset also pointed out there isn't a wider wave of safari or rescue sets around it, so it can feel a bit stranded on a shelf next to Heartlake City sets that don't match its theme at all.

Who it's for

Get this one if you or your kid collect LEGO animals specifically, that giraffe alone is worth having, and the printed plant leaf and exclusive giraffe pieces give it real value to parts collectors too. Skip it if you're building out a Heartlake City style Friends town and want pieces that visually connect, this one sits apart from that world. It's retired now, so secondhand price is really the only way in, and at the roughly $28 to $42 range it's changing hands for, it's a fair pickup for the right buyer, just don't expect a bargain.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Building it is a light, cheerful process, reviewers at the time called it a problem free build with clear instructions, well suited to the stated 7 plus age range. You move through the rescue center, then the ATV, then the small rocky outcrop scene, so there's a steady rhythm of finishing one little thing and starting the next rather than one long sustained build.

The real story is in the animals. The giraffe is a brand new mold for LEGO, its first ever, built from jointed leg and neck pieces that let it stand and pose naturally, and it comes with an exclusive printed head piece featuring stylized LEGO Friends eyes you won't find anywhere else. The baby zebra is a recolor of an existing foal mold rather than a new sculpt, which is the one place the set leans on parts LEGO already had. Elsewhere, the 6x5 plant leaf piece appears in sand green here for what's believed to be the first time, a small but genuinely useful color addition for anyone building jungle or savanna scenes.

Fun facts

01The giraffe in this set was LEGO's first ever giraffe mold in the System line.
02The baby zebra reuses an existing pony/foal mold in a new color rather than being a brand new sculpt.
03The 6x5 plant leaf piece appears here in sand green for what is believed to be the first time.
04The set retired around December 2023 after roughly a year and seven months on shelves, and secondhand values have dropped over 40 percent since retirement.