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. The latter types of animals are called
draft animals (
draught animals) or
beasts of burden. Most working animals are either
service animals or draft animals. They may also be used for
milking or
herding, jobs that require human training to encourage the animal to cooperate. Some, at the end of their working lives, may also be used for meat or other products such as leather.