Helper_Animals_Digital

Many people enjoy animals as pets, but sometimes animals have jobs helping people. 1

Service Animals Service animals help people in their daily lives. This dog is a guide animal for its owner, who is blind. The dog helps to keep him safe. 2

Many guide animals are dogs, but some mini-horses are trained to guide as well. You can often spot these service animals by the vest or harness they wear. Remember to never bother a service animal when it is working. 3

Another kind of service animal is a hearing dog. A hearing dog alerts its owner to sounds the person can’t hear. 4

Hearing dogs can listen for sounds such as ringing phones, doorbells, and text alerts. They also listen for smoke alarms and other sounds of danger. 5

Assistance Animals Some animals are trained to help people who have difficulty doing certain tasks on their own. These are called assistance animals. 6

Assistance animals, such as small monkeys, can press buttons, open jars, and wash their owner’s face. 7

Comfort Animals Comfort animals are another type of helper animal. They can bring happiness to someone who is sad, lonely, or frightened. 8

Cats, rabbits, dogs, and mini-horses all make good comfort animals. These calming animals visit people who face difficult situations, such as in hospitals or retirement homes. 9

Comfort animals visit schools and libraries as well. They enjoy cuddling up and listening to a story and can encourage shy children to read out loud. 10

Search and Rescue Animals Search and rescue dogs are helper animals, too. These dogs search for people who are lost or missing after an avalanche or earthquake. Their keen sense of smell helps them to do their job. 11

When a building falls down, search and rescue dogs help to find missing people in the rubble. Often it is too dangerous for rescue workers to do this job. 12

Farm Helpers Other animals are farm helpers. These animals may herd other animals or pull heavy loads to make the farmer’s work easier. 13

Lots of animals have jobs helping people. We get a lot from these animals. What do you think helper animals get from us? 14

Review of Helper Animals dogs Service Assistance Comfort Search and Farm mini-horses Animals Animals Animals Rescue Animals Helpers monkeys 4 4 4 4 4 cats 4 4 4 4 rabbits 4 donkeys 4 horses guinea pigs 4 dolphins 4 4 Find out if any of these animals do other jobs. 15

Literacy Place for the Early Years Lead Authors: British Columbia   Anne Brailsford Melbourne, Australia   Tony Stead   Sue Jackson Ontario Helper Animals Copyright © 2014 Scholastic Canada Ltd. 175 Hillmount Road, Markham, Ontario, Canada, L6C 1Z7. Part of Literacy Place for the Early Years ISBN 978-1-4430-2600-0 (digital) Reader: Mike Pongracz Audio Mixer: Greg MacLean cover: © AnetaPics/Shutterstock; back cover: © blickwinkel / Alamy; 1: © Sue McDonald/ Shutterstock; 3 top left: Courtesy Allison Laypath/ TipsForFamilyTrips.com; 3 top right: © Jeff Rotman / Alamy; 3 center left: © Marmaduke St. John / Alamy; 3 center right: AFP/Getty Images; 3 bottom left: © Frances Roberts / Alamy; 3 bottom right: Courtesy Sam Simon foundation; 4: © Jeroen van den Broek/ Shutterstock; 5: AFP/Getty Images; 6: Courtesy Canine Companions for Independence.; 7: Courtesy Sam Simon foundation; 8: © Jose Luis Stephens / Alamy; 9: © Jeff Rotman / Alamy; 10: © Frances Roberts / Alamy; 11: Courtesy Allison Laypath/ TipsForFamilyTrips.com; 12: © Marmaduke St. John / Alamy; 13 & 14: © blickwinkel / Alamy; 15: AnetaPics/ Shutterstock; 16 center right: © Sue McDonald/ Shutterstock; 16 bottom left: © Richard Smith / Alamy; 16 bottom right: © Jose Luis Stephens / Alamy; 16 center left: © ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy; 16 top left: © Urosr/ iStockphotos; 16 top right: H. Darr Beiser/USA Today Sports Images. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher or a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, call toll free to 1-800-893-5777.