Animal Tarot (German: Tiertarock) is a genre of tarot decks used for playing card games that were most commonly found in northern Europe, from Belgium to Russia, only one of which has survived: the Adler Cego pattern in south Germany. A theme of animals, real and/or fantastic, replaces the traditional trump scenes found in the Italian-suited tarot packs such as the Tarot of Besançon. The Sküs plays a musical instrument while the Pagat is represented by Hans Wurst, a carnival stock character who carries his sausage, drink, slap stick, or hat. They constitute the first generation of French-suited tarot patterns. Prior to their introduction, tarot card games had been confined to Italy, France, and Switzerland. During the 17th century, the game's popularity in these three countries declined and was forgotten in many regions. The rapid expansion of the game into the Holy Roman Empire and Scandinavia after the appearance of animal tarots may not be a coincidence. In the 19th century, most animal tarots were replaced with tarots that have genre scenes, veduta, opera, architecture, or ethnological motifs on the trumps such as the Industrie und Glück of Austria-Hungary.

After being introduced from Alsace, Besançon-pattern tarots were made in Germany as early as the 1720s but were probably not popular as German rule books did not mention tarot until after 1750.

The earliest animal tarots, utilizing Lyonnais face cards, were made around 1740 in Strasbourg with production also in Germany, Belgium, and Sweden up to the early 19th century. The animal trumps of this early pattern were copied by later makers but the motifs were often in different orders on the tarot cards.

The Bavarian Animal Tarot was designed by Andreas Benedict Göbl of Munich, Bavaria around 1765. He replaced the Lyonnais face cards with the Bavarian version of the Paris pattern. Meanwhile the tarocks depicted various animals, some accompanied by a person; these appear to be taken from a generic set of designs which were then used in different orders on the various tarocks. The pattern was widely copied; examples being known from Alsace, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark and Russia as well as other German states. Despite being the most widespread animal tarot, it died out in the early 19th century. The pack is only known in the 78-card form.

A facsimile of the Russian version has been published by Piatnik.

The Belgian Animal Tarot has the same trumps as the Bavarian one above but with unique court cards such as the queens and shin-exposed kings draped in cloaks. Animal Tarot cards, following the “Lyonnais” version were made in Liège as early as 1753 – so quite early —, and it is probable that the Brussels cardmakers were inspired by it to set up their own design. An early example is that made by Sarton Frères et Sœurs, in Brussels, around 1755. This new design became very successful, as we know of similar tarot packs made by Galler, Biot, Demoulin, all cardmakers in Brussels. In 1772, the Hannoversche Anzeigen of 30 November 1772 had an announcement for “Extra feine Brüsseler Tarokcharten“ (super-fine Brussels tarot cards), which says enough where this type of cards came from. The Belgian Animal Tarot is only known in the 78-card version. In Belgium, this kind of tarot cards were made until the late 19th century, particularly in Bruges by Daveluy.

It should not be confused with the Italian-suited Belgian Tarot which appeared in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège by 1693 and died out at the beginning of the 19th century.

Around 1800, newer patterns were introduced using reversible ('double-figured' or 'double-ended') courts and trumps. The Upper Austrian Tarot, Tyrolean, Baltic, and Adler Cego decks all share similar court designs, being double-figured (or double-ended) versions of the Bavarian Paris pattern.