A 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 provide tractive force , such as draft horses or logging elephants . They may also be used for milking or herding , jobs that require human training to encourage the animal to cooperate . For example , while cats may perform work catching mice , it is an instinctive behavior , not one that can be trained by human intervention . A working rat is any rat which is trained for specific tasks as a working animal .
A working animal can perform tasks after being trained.