Cara, I just read something related to what you're pondering. The Dalai said, "...one could also argue that in other respects human beings are inferior to animals..." The context is found within the last paragraph of a short teaching here: https://www.dalailama.com/teachings/training-the-mind/training-the-mind-verse-2
Thank you, Nicole. This is indeed interesting and worth contemplating.
Cara, I just read something related to what you're pondering. The Dalai said, "...one could also argue that in other respects human beings are inferior to animals..." The context is found within the last paragraph of a short teaching here: https://www.dalailama.com/teachings/training-the-mind/training-the-mind-verse-2