Military animals are trained animals that are used in warfare and other combat related activities. As working animals, different military animals serve different functions. Horses, elephants, camels, and other animals have been used for both transportation and mounted attack. Pigeons were used for communication and photographic espionage. Many other animals have been reportedly used in various specialized military functions, including rats and pigs. Dogs have long been employed in a wide variety of military purposes, more recently focusing on guarding and bomb detection, and along with dolphins and sea lions are in active use today.
Monuments for military animals in Ottawa, Ontario.
A U.S. Navy dog handler at the War Dog Memorial in the National War Dog Cemetery at Naval Base Guam. The cemetery honors the dogs—mostly Doberman Pinschers—that were killed in service with the United States Marine Corps during the Second Battle of Guam in 1944.
Circus elephants clear bomb damage, Hamburg, Germany, November 1945.
Photo released on November 12, 2001, claiming to show "the first American cavalry charge of the 21st century" in league with Northern Alliance forces in the Battle of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Animal training is the act of teaching animals specific responses to specific conditions or stimuli. Training may be for purposes such as companionship, detection, protection, and entertainment. The type of training an animal receives will vary depending on the training method used, and the purpose for training the animal. For example, a seeing eye dog will be trained to achieve a different goal than a wild animal in a circus.
Early 20th century animal trainer Dolores Vallecita with a leopard.
The Ursar by Theodor Aman, depicting a trainer with a muzzled bear
Morphy, an orangutan with his toy, a horse, on a walk with his keeper in a traveling circus.
A trained dog competing in dog agility.
