[PK]

I don't think Create Animal is automatically abusive, though there are some necessary reminders along with a few safeguards that I'd recommend.

1. The druid cannot upgrade or alter the animal's template. In other words, use the critters from the Basic Set, not from DF5 (where their power levels are upgraded significantly!). Frankly, most animals aren't much of a threat against true monsters or armed and armored people, who just parry the beast's attacks with a weapon or Striker and thus get to deal active and reactive damage.

2. Always assume the animal is the largest SM at which it comes; no "this is a compact grizzly" arguments to get an energy discount.

3. It specifies only animals (real ones). You're within rights to say that this excludes anything with a class other than vanilla Animal -- no Dire Animals, etc.

4. Remember that the created critter is treated like a normal animal. Yes, it will do the druid's bidding, but that doesn't mean he can override its normal fight or flight impulses*. GURPS Bestiary (3E) suggests that any animal should make a reaction roll when wounded, with a penalty equal to the injury taken. On a Poor or better, it flees; on Very Bad or worse, it begins All-Out Attacking. (To be fair, the druid should get a chance to calm the animal with an Animal Handling roll, but even if successful, that takes an action.)

5. While it doesn't explicitly say that created animals have Fragile (Unnatural), that disadvantage states that it's designed to represent conjured beings and magical constructs. As such, feel free to declare (as a rules interpretation) that it's part of their racial template if you feel that this is necessary for balance purposes.

* This is one of the main reasons I gave every conjured critter in DF5 minimum IQs of 6 -- so they can react with sapience instead of instinct.