Working animal is an animal, usually domesticated, that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide dogs or other assistance dogs, or they may be animals trained to pull carts or logs. logging elephants. Most working animals are either service animals or draft animals. They may also be used for milking or herding.Some, at the end of their working lives, may also be used for meat or other products such as leather.
The strength of horses, elephants and oxen is used in pulling carts and logs. The keen sense of smell of dogs is used to search for drugs and explosives as well helping to find game while hunting and to search for missing or trapped people. Several animals including camels, donkeys, horses and dogs are used for transport, either riding or to pull wagons and sleds. Other animals including dogs and monkeys provide assistance to blind or disabled people.
On rare occasions, wild animals may be not only tamed, but trained to perform for novelty or entertainment purposes.
Military animals The defensive and offensive capabilities of animals (such as fangs and claws) can be used to protect or to attack humans.
Military animals The defensive and offensive capabilities of animals (such as fangs and claws) can be used to protect or to attack humans.
- The guard dog barks or attacks, to warn of an intruder
- War elephants were trained for battle in ancient times and are still used for military transport today.
- Military uses of horses have changed over the millennia but still continue, including for police work.
- Dolphins and sea lions carry markers to attach to mines as well as patrolling harbors.
- On land, dogs can be trained to find landmines. Rats, which are lighter and less of a risk to set the mines off, have recently been used more frequently.
- Homing pigeons transport material, usually messages on small pieces of paper, by air.