Humans and animals have been working side by side for about 15,000 years, but more recently animals have been helping us in much more complex ways. We have all heard of dogs – dogs trained to alert their owner to important sounds such as ringing phones, alarm clocks and fire alarms – but there are so many other animals, dogs or others who have helped their human friends in a new and exciting way.
Guide horses are the equine equivalent of the guide dog. Some blind or visually impaired people do not choose a guide dog for religious or medical reasons, and a miniature guide horse can be a useful Alternative. Just like a dog, a miniature horse can be trained to guide its owner around objects, stay away from perils, inform its owner about changes in surface height and retrieve objects on command. More unusual than dogs, they are rather considered working animals. They can live up to 40 years, twice as long as the oldest living dogs.
Some matures with severe motor disorders are assisted by very intelligent auxiliary monkeys. These well-trained Capuchin monkeys spend 8 to 12 years of intensive socialization and training before they can work with a person to support them in their daily lives. These helper monkeys are trained to take glasses of water, turn lights off and on, load CDs and DVDs, and turn the pages of a book. Like guide horses, they live much longer than guide dogs and can support humans for about 25-30 years.
Dog noses are about 40 times more powerful than human noses, so it’s no surprise that we’ve used them to detect everything from termites to mobile phones. Detection of dog cancer is a relatively new and potentially revolutionary non-invasive method for identifying certain cancers in humans. Dog noses are so sensitive that they can sniff out the compounds produced by malignant tumors in the breath and urine of people with cancer. A study showed that cancer detection dogs had lung cancer in 93% of respiratory samples. These potentially vital dogs could be integrated into medical services, like their boom disposal cousins who work with the army and police.
Epileptic response dogs help people who are experiencing seizures related to certain types of epilepsy and other psychiatric disorders. They are trained to warn people when their owner suffers a seizure by barking or activating an alarm system to call for help. During a seizure, an epileptic dog can use his body weight to hold a person in a certain Position, to keep him safe until help arrives, take medication or help his owner communicate and move after a seizure. These intelligent canines save lives and act as both companions and guardians.
These awesome animals work with their human owners to improve their independence, quality of life and safety. From emotional support to the detection of deadly health issue, these animals deserve our love and respect as working animals with real and applicable skills. Their learning ability is surprising and full of potential to help people and act as a loving companion.
