working animals
Beasts of burden
Working animals are animals trained or used to perform tasks for humans—labor, transportation, herding, guarding, or assistance.
The category includes horses pulling plows, dogs herding sheep, oxen hauling loads, and service animals guiding the blind.
Working animals have been essential to agriculture for millennia.
The term distinguishes them from animals kept as pets or raised for food.
Creatures bred for hauling
- sled dogsHarness-pulling Arctic canines
- elephantsTusked, trunk-bearing mammals
- camelsHumped desert mammals
- horsesLarge domesticated hoofed mammals
llamas · mules · donkeys · yaks · oxcarts · carriage · stagecoach · cargo
Tool for turning soil
- harvestGathering mature crops
- oxenCastrated male cattle
- draftPreliminary version of text
- herdingManaging animal groups
sheepdog · livestock · mules · yoke · tilling · farming · husbandry · cultivation
Finding and saving people
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- avalancheRapid mountain snow collapse
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- SAREmergency location efforts
K9 · earthquake · flood · wilderness · cadaver dogs · trailing · rubble · missing persons
Trained canine for blind
- hearing dogCanine aide for deaf
- mobility assistanceAid for movement-impaired individuals
- autism supportAid for developmental differences
- medical responseTreatment given to patients
PTSD support · visual impairment · wheelchair assistance · accessibility · ADA · independence · handler · vest
Guarding against harm
- flockAnimals gathered together
- predator controlManaging harmful animal populations
- watchdogGuard or monitor
- shepherdOne who tends flocks
Great Pyrenees · Anatolian · patrol · security · herds · territory · alerting · deterrent
Law enforcement canines
- bomb detectionIdentifying hidden explosives
- narcoticsDrugs inducing sleep, numbness
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- biosecurityProtection against biological threats
truffle hunting · cancer detection · contraband · airport security · wildlife tracking · invasive species · springer spaniel · Belgian Malinois
Compassionate help during distress
- healingRestoration of health
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- equine therapyTreatment using horse activities
- hippotherapyTreatment via horseback riding
comfort · well-being · recovery · interaction · socialization · hospice · nursing home · hospital visits
pack animals
Creatures bred for hauling
- sled dogsHarness-pulling Arctic canines
- elephantsTusked, trunk-bearing mammals
- camelsHumped desert mammals
horses · llamas · mules · donkeys · yaks · oxcarts · carriage · stagecoach · cargo · freight
plow
Tool for turning soil
herding · sheepdog · livestock · mules · yoke · tilling · farming · husbandry · cultivation · sowing
search and rescue
Finding and saving people
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- avalancheRapid mountain snow collapse
- disasterSudden ruinous event
SAR · K9 · earthquake · flood · wilderness · cadaver dogs · trailing · rubble · missing persons · bloodhound
guide dog
Trained canine for blind
- hearing dogCanine aide for deaf
- mobility assistanceAid for movement-impaired individuals
- autism supportAid for developmental differences
medical response · PTSD support · visual impairment · wheelchair assistance · accessibility · ADA · independence · handler · vest · public access
protection
Guarding against harm
- flockAnimals gathered together
- predator controlManaging harmful animal populations
- watchdogGuard or monitor
shepherd · Great Pyrenees · Anatolian · patrol · security · herds · territory · alerting · deterrent · nightwatch
police dogs
Law enforcement canines
- bomb detectionIdentifying hidden explosives
- narcoticsDrugs inducing sleep, numbness
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
biosecurity · truffle hunting · cancer detection · contraband · airport security · wildlife tracking · invasive species · springer spaniel · Belgian Malinois
emotional support
Compassionate help during distress
- healingRestoration of health
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- equine therapyTreatment using horse activities
hippotherapy · comfort · well-being · recovery · interaction · socialization · hospice · nursing home · hospital visits · stress relief
- domesticated animalscow, dogs, pig, cats, horses
- animals and humanspets, cats, dogs, pet ownership, companion animals
- livestockcow, cows, cattle, bull, bulls
- animal fictiontalking animals, beast fables, funny animals, anthropomorphism, dogs
- pet lifepets, dog owner, cat owner, fur baby, pet ownership
- animal ethicshumane treatment, ethical treatment, sentient beings, cruelty prevention, humane slaughter
working animalspets
Domesticated companion animals
companion animals · livestock · lap dogs · house cats · aquarium fish
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