Not only people are commanded to refrain from work on Shabbat; we must also allow the animals in our possession to rest. The Torah states, “Six days you shall perform your activities, and on the seventh day you shall rest so that your ox and your donkey will rest” (Exodus 23:12). It is also stated, “The seventh day is Sabbath for the Lord your God; you shall not perform any labor, you, and your son, and your daughter, your slave, and your maidservant, and your animal, and your stranger who is within your gates” (Exodus 20:10). Although the verses mention explicitly only an ox and a donkey, the command applies to all animals in one’s possession.