Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It is mainly characterized by the involvement of the optic nerve, spinal cord and brain. The disease is prone to relapse and has a high rate of blindness and disability, which seriously threatens human vision and health. At present, the etiology of NMSOD is not clear, and the existing treatment schemes can’t completely cure NMOSD. Animal models are important tools to explore its pathogenesis and pathophysiological characteristics. NMOSD animals were mainly established on the basis of anti-aquaporin 4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG), including destroying or bypassing the blood-brain barrier and passively transferring AQP4-IgG or AQP4 specific T cells. At present, no animal model can completely simulate the clinical and pathological characteristics of human NMOSD. Therefore, it is important to select appropriate animal models for the study. This article reviews various animal models of NMOSD in recent years, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various models, in order to provide references for the study of the progress and treatment of NMOSD.