A working animal is a domesticated animal.
A working animal is an animal , usually domesticated , that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks . Domesticated species are often bred to be suitable for different uses and conditions , especially horses and working dogs . On rare occasions , wild animals may be not only tamed , but trained to perform work , though often solely for novelty or entertainment purposes , as such animals tend to lack the traits of trustworthiness and mild temper that characterize the true domesticated working animal . Other domesticated animals , such as sheep , or rabbits , may have agricultural uses for meat , hides and wool , but are not suitable for work . Finally , small domestic pets such as most birds ( other than certain types of pigeon ) or hamsters are generally incapable of performing work other than that of providing simple companionship .