Given that dogs are the most common service animals in the world, it’s little wonder why the practice of owning one isn’t commonly observed in Malaysia. Unfortunately, if you’re unwilling or unable to have a service dog due to religious or other reasons, there are barely any other options available.
Perhaps interestingly, there are several species besides dogs that could potentially become highly effective and beloved service animals, if you ignore factors such as cost, feasibility or legality. That said, even if owning such service animals is unlikely to ever happen, it’s still a fun thought experiment to imagine the possibility.
Here are some potential service animals that could probably serve the role amazingly well, if only in theory:
Donkeys
Donkeys aren’t permitted to be service animals for obvious reasons, though there are clear reasons why it could serve the role effectively. After all, donkeys have already proven themselves to be great for therapy.
Several experts claim that donkeys are effective at helping people with emotional and mental disorders, even more than horses. It’s a noteworthy achievement considering that horses are more commonly associated with animal-related therapy for those particular disorders.
Donkeys are also known to be highly intelligent, particularly when it comes to problem solving, memory retention and situational adaptability. All three traits are highly valued qualities in a potential service animal.
Capuchin Monkeys
It’s easy to imagine that monkeys would be a nightmare to have as pets. That said, properly trained monkeys can display great ability at accomplishing tasks and assisting PWDs in a way most dogs would be unable to.
This was proved by the Helping Hand Monkey Helpers, a non-profit based in the U.S. that trained capuchin monkeys to retrieve items, turn pages and even use simple tools. This training allowed the animals to greatly assist individuals living with quadriplegia.
While these monkeys aren’t officially recognised as service animals, their ability to assist PWDs in day-to-day living is certainly tried and tested, with positive results.
Dolphins
As aquatic mammals with large brains relative to their overall size, dolphins are incredibly intelligent and more than capable of being trained as service animals, as impractical as it would be in reality.
Though even beyond the scope of service animals, dolphins have been remarkably helpful across multiple assisted therapy programs in several countries around the globe, including China, Egypt, Indonesia and Turkey.
With their friendly nature and aforementioned intelligence, dolphins have been used to assist those with conditions that impact speech and motor skill developments, as well as individuals with autism and Down syndrome.
References
Brittany Alexandra Sulc (2024) 10 Most Unusual Service Animals That Actually Help a Lot [Accessed 14 April 2025] Available at: https://www.alwayspets.com/s/unexpected-service-animals-2dcf0ab459e04bab
Jeffrey Kluger (2018) Strong and Smart, Service Monkeys Give a Helping Hand to People With Quadriplegia [Accessed 14 April 2025] Available at: https://time.com/5327021/service-monkeys-quadriplegia/
Dina Fine Maron (2021) Inside the murky world of dolphin therapy [Accessed 14 April 2025] Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/inside-the-murky-world-of-dolphin-therapy