Working Animals. 1. Herding and Hunting. 2. Guards

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1 Working Animals 1. Herding and Hunting Since time began, we have partnered with animals in our work. Some of the ways we have used animals to perform work are in hunting and herding. One of the things that early man learned was that animals could be trained to help hunt for food. We have used dogs to follow the scent of prey, retrieve fallen prey, used falcons to pursue, kill and bring prey, and used horses to carry the hunter. We have also used dogs and horses as herders of sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs. 2. Guards Animals also have been/continue to be used as guards, for defense and in warfare. For many years horses carried soldiers to battle. Dogs have guarded homes since people first discovered that the wolf s natural ability to bark could be exaggerated through selective breeding. By the time the great ancient civilizations emerged in the Middle East, Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt, dogs were being used not only for defense, but also as dogs of war. Throughout the Middle Ages, Europe s rulers continued to use dogs in warfare. Even in this century, armies have employed dogs for a variety of military purposes - as messengers, guards, and mine and ordnance detectors. The police dog evolved from the war dog and today it serves many roles. 1

2 3. Search and Rescue Dogs are often used in Search and Rescue. Because of their powerful sense of smell, they can be used as trackers to follow trails of missing persons, find bodies buried in snow after avalanches, under rubble after earthquakes, collapsed mines, in destroyed buildings (like when the terrorists attacked New York City in 2001), and by firemen to locate people in burning buildings. 4. Guides Dogs are also used as guides. They have used guide dogs to help explore the Arctic regions. They have guided our Canadian Inuit through blizzards. They have been used as guides to war-blinded soldiers. They have been trained to be the eyes for the blind. 5. Draft Animals Various types of animals have been used to serve man as draft animals or animals that carry heavy loads. Some of them are: horses, donkeys, camels, oxen (used for ploughing fields and grinding grain), and elephants. Large dogs, such as mastiffs, were at one time used in parts of Europe to pull carts. Huskies in North America were used to pull heavy sleds, while Spitz dogs were used in Scandinavia, and Laika dogs in Russia. In Europe, only a few dogs are still used today to pull carts.. 2

3 6. Transportation Before the use of our modern means of transportation, animals were the main means that people had to travel. Animals that have been used for transportation are: horses, donkeys, camels, elephants, and dogs in the north by sled. 7. Entertainment Movies Animals have also been a means of entertainment for people. One of the ways we have been entertained by animals is by having them in movies, sometimes as trained actors, sometimes being filmed in their natural habitats, and sometimes by depicting them in animated form. Some of the movies which have used animals are: Babe, Beethoven, Cats and Dogs, Free Willy, Homeward Bound, Old Yeller, Sea Biscuit, Bambi, The Lion King, 101 Dalmatians, and The Rescuers. Sports Another way in which animals entertain us is through their use in sports. Animals are used in racing: horses, dogs (greyhound type breeds as well as sled dogs in sled races in northern regions). During medieval times in Europe, the nobility played a game which is still popular in parts of the world today called Polo, where horse riders using a wooden mallet move a wooden ball across a field. 3

4 Another sport, which is very inhumane, is having animals fight. Often people make bets on the winner, and the animals, often fierce terriers, are set against one another to fight to the death. The winner often also dies of severe wounds. Other animals which have been used in fights are lions, bears, and roosters. Hare Coursing is a sport that began in medieval times where rabbits are chased down by dogs. Other sports using animals are competitions of jumping and agility for dogs and horses. Animals have been used since medieval times to help sport hunters. Dogs such as bloodhounds, helped the hunter to follow the scent of rabbits, deer, foxes, ducks, and pheasants. Often horses were used to carry the hunter and chase after the dogs. Trained falcons, birds of prey, have also been used in hunting since medieval times to capture small animals and return its prey for a food reward. Zoos Animals also serve as entertainment at zoos. Here people enjoy watching the antics of animals which are placed in an environment which has been created to be close to their natural habitat. Zoos provide people with the chance to see animals which they normally would not have the opportunity to view. Aquariums are similar to zoos, but focus on aquatic animals. 4

5 Circuses Many people question whether certain practices used to train animals for circuses and for roles in movies are humane. Humane Societies Cruelty Officers closely inspect and monitor circuses to be sure there is no cruel treatment of animals used in circuses. No charges have ever been laid against trainers of circus animals in Canada. Most of the animals have been born and bred in captivity and have never lived in the wild. 5