Focal ischemia, a ischemia of specific area of the brain, is responsible for many deaths and disabilities across the globe that may be due to clot formation or accidental collapse of arteries in either case treatment is required to treat ischemic insult and further deterioration of neurons in the brain. To know exact pathophysiology and biochemical events it becomes necessary to study those conditions in vivo. Furthermore to check drug moieties for the treatment of ischemic conditions and its prognosis, animal models are required to mimic those conditions artificially. There are many factors on which choice of animal for animal model is depend like age, species and genetics. The species which would be near to humans in evolution hierarchy should exhibit almost similar physiological as well as pathological architecture of vascularity and ischemic condition. But other factors cannot be ignored in this regard like finances, survival and labour intensiveness. During literature survey, out of many available models of ischemia, rodent models are found to be used mostly in preclinical research so this review is a collaborative approach contains methods and types to select animal and animal models along with the mechanisms and assessment of ischemic conditions.