Assistance animals

Four-legged friends have a history of offering a great deal of support. Here, a guide dog helps a blind woman at a station Photograph: altrendo images/Getty

Support dogs can improve mental wellbeing through companionship, as well as giving the owner a reason to get plenty of fresh air Photograph: Rex features

Dogs are loyal assistants. They can be trained to help their owners cross roads... Photograph: Rex features

... load the washing machine ... Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian

... and cleverly, like Indy, withdraw cash Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian

This pooch can even press the answer button on the phone when it rings Photograph: Rex features

Assistance animals are not always dogs. Here, Shari Bernstiel, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, is helped across the street by Tonto, her guide horse Photograph: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images North America

Tonto went through one year of training to act as 'seeing eye' Photograph: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images North America

In the US, the Psychiatric Service Dog Society (PSDS) supports people with mental health problems to benefit from dog ownership. As yet, there is no equivalent UK organisation Photograph: Don Farrall/Photodisc Green

Using assistance animals has proven medical benefits, including lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In many cases, patients require less medication than before Photograph: LEGO/The Image Bank

On a practical level, an assistance dog offers chance to get some help with the shopping. But most importantly, they are there every day with bounds of unconditional love Photograph: Rex features